


A Distant Memory

by PorterHawk96



Series: Forlorn Hope Series [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fellswap, Alternate Universe - Swapfell, Babybones, Body Horror, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Child Abuse, Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Angst, Older Brother Razz, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Razz Gets Hugs, Slim Gets Hugs, Younger Brother Slim, platonic cuddles, tags added as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-02-22 19:03:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13173231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PorterHawk96/pseuds/PorterHawk96
Summary: Razz is the new Captain of the Royal Guard, and with that comes many privileges. This includes getting to see his baby brother for the first time in years and take him home as his new charge. Both skeletons have been through a lot, and continue to struggle in the harsh world they live in. These are the stories of how their love and familial bonds grew and changed through the many hardships they faced.*Some angst but it's 75% brotherly fluff.*(Prompts/request are welcome)





	1. A Night to Celebrate

The angry skeleton marched through Hotland, Guardsmen Bratty and Catty flanking his left and right sides. It was three in the morning, and they were all cloaked and hooded. They had only come across two petty thieves so far, and they were easy enough to dust. No one needed to know what the new Guard Captain’s business was tonight. He approached the door of the intimidating building, pressing the buzzer and waiting several minutes for a response. He began tapping his foot impatiently as the seconds ticked by. Sans swore to Toriel if that fish bitch didn't open up soon he was going to fillet her and serve it to that lizard she called a girlfriend. Finally the door beeped, cracking open a tad. Two yellow eyes peered at him through the darkness, quickly turning from excited to annoyed.

“Oh.” Doctor Undyne said sounding disappointed. “You a-actually came.” She stepped to the side and allowed Sans to enter. Sans held his hands behind his back, walking with the new authority he possessed.

“You need to watch your tongue now doctor.” He turned his head and gave her a side glance, indigo eyelights flashing. “Don't forget that I currently outrank you.” Undyne gave him a crazed death glare. She clearly wasn't happy about that fact, but there wasn't anything she could do about it now.

“... I t-take it you came for P-16?” She said annoyed.

“Clever deduction. Now take me there and I'll be out of your hair.” She ground her teeth together, but Sans sent a wave of killing intent as a warning. He didn't care how pissed she would be about having to end the P-Series experiments. He wasn't going to let the little skeleton dust in such a horrible place. Plus the Queen herself gave the okay, so the fish bitch really didn't have anyone to complain to. She clutched her hands into fist but nodded, angrily making her way over to the elevator. Bratty and Catty stood guard at the entrance, while Undyne and Sans descended further underground. They rode to the True Lab in silence. Sans tried to remain patient, but the idea of getting the other survivor out of this hell hole was the only reason he would go near this place. Every inch down made him more and more uneasy. The elevator eventually ground to a halt, door sliding open to reveal the smell of death and cleaning supplies. He always hated that combined stench, too many bad memories associated with it.

They walked down the sterile hallway. The smell was bad enough, but the bright lights and distant screams were not any better. It was all too familiar, reminding him too much of his own early childhood, before father deemed him strong enough to become his successor as the next Royal Guard Captain. It was the day Sans earned his name, and the day P-16 became “the backup.” It wasn't long afterwards that P-16 was considered completely useless for combat, sending the younger experiment back to this pit of death. Sans managed to save the small creature from execution, but he never knew for sure if that was the right decision. He would find out soon, even as Father’s words rang through the back of his mind.

_“Only the strong can survive down here. P-16 is neither tough enough nor smart enough to dominate this hell hole. You are superior in every way, while blood suckers like IT will only drag you down. Leave animals like IT to die in their pens. Any empathy for the week will only get you killed.”_

It's been years since that day, and he really couldn't abandon the weekling. Perhaps it would get him killed one day, but that was a risk he was ready to take. They stopped at a heavy metal door, no bars or windows displaying the other side. Undyne placed her hand on a scanner. The machine read her print before lighting green, the door making a clicking sound indicating it unlocked.

“C-careful. Just got done with a few t-test not long ago. It m-may bite.” Undyne grinned deviously. Sans ignored her, choosing to stair at the door as it creaked open. He stepped inside to see P-16 sitting on his metal cot playing with a Rubix Cube, the closest thing to a toy in the whole room. It was very sparsely furnished, a wooly green blanket and an IV stand the only other decor. The little skeleton glanced up upon the adults entry, unbandaged socket going wide.

“Sans!” The small monster cried excitedly. He staggered to his feet, rushing as fast as possible to Sans’ side. He seemed to forget the IV drip, tripping as soon as the he ran out of tubing. Sans reached his hand out, turning P-16’s soul blue and stopping him from impacting with the floor.

“Are you alright?” Sans asked, making his way over to the other and helping him stand upright.

“I fell down again…” the younger one said meekly. He was still so small, far smaller than Sans expected. P-16 is supposed to be twelve years old, but if Sans didn't know better he'd think the kid was seven or eight.

“It's alright P, I'm here to help you up.” Sans gave a small smile, one that P-16 beamed at. The kids bones were frailer than Sans remembered, and the hospital gown exposed more experimentation scarring then he cared for. The younger monster glanced around anxiously, looking for someone that wasn't coming.

“Where’s Captain Gaster?” He asked nervously. It still pained Sans that his little brother couldn't say “father,” but that was the right Gaster only allowed his chosen successor.

“Father is dead.” Sans breathed. P-16 isn't a stranger to the concept of death. He should be able to handle the truth.

“Oh.” P-16 whispered. He seemed sad, but only a few tears pricked in his sockets. Sans wiped them away with a gloved hand trying to smile encouragingly.

“I'm not here because of Father. I'm here for you.” The smaller monster gave him a confused look, clearly not understanding. “Would you like to leave the labs and live with me?” Sans finally asked. It took a moment for P-16 to process the news, though Sans couldn't blame him. The P-Series experiments were far less intelligent than the S-Series. They were more comparable to animals then monsters, it's a wonder P-16 could even speak to begin with.

“No more needles?” P-16 asked carefully. There it is, he's starting to get the idea.

“No more needles.” Sans responded. The little skeleton beamed, giving the elder a week hug. “I take that as a yes?” The younger monster nodded, though he didn't pull away from Sans. The older brother eventually stood up, forcing P-16 to let go. “Shall we head home?” Sans asked to the others excitement. He removed the IV from the child's soul, freeing him from this cursed fate. Sans turned to make is way out the door, encouraging the other to follow. P-16 started following Sans towards the exit, but was struggling to keep up. “What's wrong?” Sans turned to look him over.

“I'm sorry…” P-16 said weekly. his eyelights were on the hazy side and he seemed very tired. Shit, he's too weak right now. The kid wouldn't be able to walk the whole way in this condition. They'd have to use alternative means of travel. Sans didn't hesitate, grabbing the blanket from P-16’s cot and bundling him up in it. He picked him up securely, adjusting his own hood and making his way out of the cell. Undyne was not pleased, but that didn't matter. All he cared about was getting the little creature out of here. He quickly made his way down the hall and up the elevator. Passing Bratty and Catty as he exited.

“I have what I came for.” Sans stated without stopping. The two Guardsmen nodded, following him without a word. Sans liked that about these two. If there was anyone in the Royal Guard that he came remotely close to trusting in this matter it would be them. They exited the building, making their way towards the River Person. The strange hooded monster watched them angrily, but didn't complain once the fares were paid. The four climbed into the boat, holding tight as it took off.

The monsters rode in silence, Sans tapping his foot impatiently. The sooner they got to Snowdin the better. He adjusted his grip on the bundle, only to notice how limp the little guy was. Anxious, he pulled the blanket from his skull, not able to stop the grin crossing his fangs. The little skeleton had fallen fast asleep at some point, completely lax in Sans’ firm grip. He was like a little puppy, so cute and helpless, like the runt of the litter. Rewrapping P-16, Sans determinedly staired forward. They would be in Snowdin soon, this mission was almost over. The boat landed at the dock, Bratty and Catty accompanying Sans into Snowdin. There was nobody out thankfully, all either hiding in their homes or getting drunk at Muffets.

They approached the house, the same large house that hasn’t been the same since… no, he wouldn't think about that now. This was a night to be celebrated. Passing a few extra pouches of gold to the two Guardsmen, the four monsters split ways, Bratty and Catty heading back to New Home while the Guard Captain took care of his new charge. Sans unlocked the heavy door, sliding through before deadbolting the thing behind him. He untensed his shoulders and sighed. They made it. It was a hell of a journey to do it but he got P-16 here without incident. He pulled the blanket off the sleeping monsters skull. Amongst the scarring there was plenty of dirt and grime. Clearly the good doctor didn't care much for the hygiene of her test subjects. A thorough cleaning would have to wait though, at least until he wasn't as frail.

“P.” Sans shook the bundle gently. “Puppy, wake up.” Sans decided to try his old nickname for the younger, which seemed to get a response. The little skeleton yawned and rubbed his sockets before tiredly looking up at Sans. “We’re here.” Sans smiled. It took a moment, but slowly the small monster began to recognize the place. He looked around slowly, still holding tightly to Sans’ breastplate. It's been years since he’s been here, so Sans couldn't really blame him for being so skittish. He'd let The little skeleton explore once he felt better. In the meantime, there was one more place for P-16 to see. Still cradling the small skeleton Sans made his way up the stairs, stopping at the first door. He slowly opened it and switched the light on, letting Puppy get a good look of his new surroundings.

“What is this place?” Puppy asked wondrously. It wasn't much, a mattress on the floor with a pillow and clean sheets, plus a small dresser for the clothing Sans found in storage. There was even a closet and a boarded up window, already leagues better than what Puppy was used to.

“This is your room Puppy.”

“My room?” Puppy questioned.

“Like your old cell, but you won't be locked in.” The smaller one nodded, still not fully understand the concept. He'll figure it out over time though, Sans doubted he'd be leaving the house or even this room for a while to be honest. He placed Puppy on the mattress, spreading to old blanket over Puppy’s lap and taking a half loaf of bread from his own inventory. He ripped the bread in half and handed a portion to Puppy, one that he didn’t eat right away. At least the kid could learn, Sans mused. He remembers the lab personnel would give their subjects all sorts of drugs through food after starving them a bit. The side effects were never anything desirable. Puppy would need that caution up here too, as drugging the food supply was still a common practice among slave traders especially.

“Here Puppy, I promise it's safe.” Sans took a bite of his own bread, which was enough to encourage Puppy to do the same. It was unfortunate that food was so scarce right now. Puppy would probably be eating bread and military rations for quite a while, but it was certainly an improvement compared to The Lab.

Sans put his own portion away, moving towards the drawer and pulling out a navy striped sweater and shorts. He waited until Puppy was finished, getting him changed out of that disgusting hospital gown and into the used clothing. The skeleton was practically swimming in it, neckhole nearly hanging off his shoulder and sleeves completely hiding his hands. It looked more like a dress than anything else, but it was still an improvement. Sans decided to put the shorts away. They would worry about pants once he found something smaller.

“You feeling alright Puppy?” Sans asked. P-16 simply nodded and rubbed his sockets more, nearly on the verge of falling asleep again.

“Just a second Puppy.” Sans pulled up his inventory again, taking out a small nicely kept shoe box and opening the lid. It revealed a small purple collar with a safety release latch and a bell, most likely a cat’s collar before falling down here. Puppy eyed it curiously while Sans imbued his magic in it, making a ward strong enough to scare even Alphys away.

“What's that?” Puppy asked. Sans didn't answer right away, first hooking it around Puppy’s neck and admiring his handiwork.

“It is a collar.” Sans stated. Puppy didn't seem to get it right away, tilting his head to the side. “It will tell everyone that you’re my Puppy, and that I'm your master.” Sans elaborated.

“Oh… Okay.” Puppy nodded, quickly losing interest and laying down on the mattress. He was fast asleep in seconds, no force in the underground would wake him up now. Sans smiled as he gently stroked Puppy’s skull. He was so tiny, so helpless. He just needed someone who would protect and feed him, and Puppy would certainly grow into a very loyal companion. Hell, maybe father was mistaken and he may have some usefulness after all. They could understand each other, even if Puppy would never be as smart or capable of Sans himself, he was certain this new relationship would be very beneficial.

Puppy snuggled into a tighter ball, prompting Sans to cover him with a clean blanket. They would need to discuss a proper name for him later. P-16 and Puppy would certainly fail to strike fear in the hearts of monsters. They could discuss that later though, right now Sans would just allow himself to breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally titled "A Swapfell Gyftmas" until it lost the Gyftmas theme. 
> 
> Hey look, it's Swapfell fluff! Don't see that ever day. They were so close when they were younger. What went wrong?!
> 
> There is a good chance this story is related to another fic of mine called Forlorn Hope, but you don't need to read that story to enjoy this one.
> 
> Here's to a rough week ending soon, hopefully the new year will be better.


	2. A Typical Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We follow Puppy around as he gets reacquainted with his old home.

The ball bounced out of his bedroom, hitting the railing before going down the steps. Puppy pursued the old blue ball, the bell around his neck jingling lightly with every movement. He chased after it, carefully sliding down to try and avoid falling like he had the first time. Thankfully Sans was there to catch him, but he said Puppy would loose stair privileges when he's not home if the kid wasn't more careful, so sliding down on his pelvis it is! He reached the bottom step, standing up carefully and walking to the couch where his ball stopped. He picked it up slowly, holding it close to his chest like he normally would with his Rubik’s Cube. It was nice, being able to move around freely for the first time in forever. He couldn't remember the last time he wasn't hooked up to something painful, or confined to a small room or strapped to a bed, being probed by Dr. Undyne or Dr. Gerson with painful needles or clamps no matter how much he cried and pleaded for them to stop. The memory of Dr. Undyne's crazed looking eyes glinting behind her swirled glasses as she peered down at him on the cold table, chuckling when he started crying or slapping him when she was angry or-

An orange tear struck the carpet. He hadn't realized he was crying, or even that he had curled up into a ball hiding behind the couch. He didn't want to be alone anymore. He wanted Sans to come home. Then again, until recently he has never gotten anything nice before. Most days he would cry for Captain Gaster or Sans to come and take him away, bringing him back to their home again. He would take the beatings and being locked in the closet without food over The Lab anytime. He sat scrunched between the couch and the wall for what felt like an eternity, clutching his ball like a lifeline. After a while his spot behind the couch started to feel more comfortable and… safe. It really wasn't so bad being back here, even if he was alone. He was starting to feel a bit drowsy… surely shutting his eyes for a few minutes would be fine…

…

…

…

The lock on the door clicked, swinging open to reveal an irritated looking Sans. Puppy jolted awake, happy to see his brother through the small crevice. He wanted to rush up and hug him, but the anger radiating from his brother was making him feel scared. This aggressive feeling was so familiar, nothing ever good happened when people were angry around him. He decided to wait while Sans removed his combat boots and placed them neatly on the mat. Taking a deep breath he calmed his aura, moving out of Puppy’s viewing spot.

“Papyrus?” Sans called out the new name that he decided to give Puppy. He didn't really know why P-16 was so bad, he had been called that for forever. More often than not he was really referred to as Worthless, Weakling, Slow, and Runt to name a few. Why wouldn't one of those names be suitable either? He was used to them at least. Regardless, Sans said the name Papyrus would be more appropriate and intimidating, and Sans is always right!

“Hi Sans…” Puppy crawled out from behind the couch. He flinched back when Sans turned rapidly, a circle of jagged bones forming around him. He dissipated his attacks upon seeing Puppy, walking closer and looking him over carefully.

“Papyrus? What were you doing behind the couch?” Sans asked, scanning the house for possible intruders and radiating a dangerous aura.

“I was playing with my ball, and then I got tired…”

“So you took a nap sandwiched in a crevice?” Sans raised a brow bone in suspicion.

Papyrus nodded. “I felt safe…” He whispered almost inaudibly. Apparently Sans caught it though, as his gaze softened. 

“Your room is also safe, remember?” Papyrus gave a small nod in response. Sans paused before changing the subject. “How about I make dinner and we can hang out for a bit?” Puppy was really excited now, nodding with far more vigour. Sans smiled before turning towards the kitchen and entering. Puppy followed but stopped outside the door frame. He peered inside, not daring to get any closer. Sans doesn't like being disturbed when he's cooking, but he never seemed to mind being watched from a distance. Just as long as Puppy could smell the food being prepared he didn't mind. Sans had put some meat and diced potatoes in a skillet, and was in the middle of stirring the concoction. It smelled wonderful, enough to make Puppy’s mouth water. Maybe he could inch a little closer, get a better whiff of that food…

“Papyrus.” Puppy jumped up in surprise. “What did I say about entering the kitchen?” Puppy snuck the few inches back to the doorframe, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.

“That… cooking time is your relaxing time?” Puppy said meekly.

“And?” Sans added.

“And that I should stay out when your cooking?” Sans grinned and nodded.

“Very good. Now you just wait there. I'll let you know when it's ready.” Puppy nodded back and sat himself firmly in place on the carpet. He'd do anything to make his big brother happy, even if that meant not getting closer to the tasty food like he wanted.

Eventually Sans seemed to finish, spooning the meat and potatoes into a bowl. He then prepared Puppy's food, two slices of bread with strawberry jam. Puppy was starting to jump a bit in place, really wanting to eat but still trying to please Sans. After what felt like forever, Sans finally put the dishes on the table, looking over to Puppy with a grin.

“NOW you may enter.” Sans said. Puppy didn't hesitate, rushing over to his plate of bread and wolfing it down quickly. “Papyrus.” Puppy stopped mid-bite, eyelights trailing up to the older skeleton. “What did I say about table manners?”

“That… I should wait for you to start eating before I eat?” 

“And?” Sans added slightly raising a brow bone.

“And that i shouldn't eat so quickly cuz… I'll get sick?” Puppy looked up questioningly, hoping that he had done well.

“Very good.” Sans nodded before taking a seat. Puppy beamed, putting the half eaten bread down and holding his hands in his lap. He was being a good little brother! Sans took a few bites of his own meal, finally looking up to notice Puppy hadn't touched his food again yet. He gave a curt nod, prompting the younger to dig in before remembering about eating slower. He ripped pieces of bread off instead, eating those rather quickly instead of the whole thing at once. 

The two ate in silence, choosing to focus more on their food instead of eachother, which was fine. Puppy was never good at talking anyway, and Sans seemed really hungry. Once they finished Sans went to do the dishes while Puppy sat back in the doorframe. He wasn't sure if he was allowed in the kitchen during cleanup, but Sans had never said anything either way so he assumed it was the same as when he cooked. Shutting off the water, Sans dried his hands on a towel before turning to Puppy again.

“Are you ready?” Puppy nodded eagerly, running up the stairs and into his bedroom. He sat in the center of the mattress, setting his ball next to the Rubix Cube by his pillow. This has become the norm since Sans brought him here. Sans would wake him up super early for breakfast, let Puppy play in the house until he returned, eat dinner, then play together before bedtime. It was simple, and the days could be lonely, but no needles were involved so Puppy didn't mind. Sans stepped into the room, taking a seat by Puppy and pulling up his inventory.

“Bratty got a present for you.” Sans commented while rummaging through his things.

“A present?” Puppy asked. Sans nodded before pulling out a rectangle from his inventory.

“Can you tell me what this is?” Sans asked. Puppy eyed the thing carefully. It was a colorful rectangle, with papers on the inside of the hard exterior. He was pretty sure he's seen these before.

“Notes?” Puppy asked. Sans chuckled in response.

“Close, but not quite. This is called a book.”

“A book?” Puppy leaned in closer to get a better look. A rabbit appeared to be on the cover, along with an orange smear that was blurred out from water damage.

“There are things called words in it. You won't be able to read them, but I can read it to you.” Puppy nodded. He knew he could never learn to read, only smart monsters could learn something like that. Thankfully Sans is a very smart monster, he's the best brother in the world!

Sans carefully open the book to the first page. Puppy's sockets went wide at the sight. The page was filled with more colors than Puppy had ever seen before. Their were greens and blues and yellows surrounding the rabbit, he had never seen anything like it.

“What's that?” Puppy pointed to the yellow dots in the large green patches.

“Those are called flowers.” Sans responded.

“What about that?” Puppy pointed to the large green area.

“That is called grass.”

“What’s grass?” The younger asked mystified. He was learning so much today. This book has opened up a whole new world to him! Sans took a moment to think over his response. 

“Grass is a plant that covers the ground.”

“Like snow?” Puppy questioned.

“Yes, that's a close enough comparison.” Puppy smiled at the thought. He hasn't even touched snow in forever. What would grass feel like in comparison? Is it cold to the touch? Does it crunch under your feet? Can you bury yourself in it? So many possibilities.

“Are you ready to hear the story?” Sans questioned. Puppy nodded, leaning into his brother's side and staring at the colorful images.

“Past the slippery slope, across the clear lively pond-”

“What's that?” Puppy pointed to the yellow ball in the blue background.

“Papyrus.” Sans said warningly. Puppy covered his mouth and looked away. He interrupted his brother. People should never be interrupted when speaking, especially by himself.

“Sorry…” Puppy said meekly. Sans just exhaled a long breath and smiled.

“I forgive you.” Sans started. “That yellow ball is called the sun.”

“The sun?” Puppy looked at the image closer. It was so simple and yellow.

“It's a giant source of light and warmth on the surface.” Papyrus looked up with wide sockets. The surface? Sans seemed to understand his confusion.

“We live underground, and above us is the surface.”

“Have you been to the surface?” Puppy questioned.

“No Papyrus. Father had seen the surface, and so had the queen.” Sans answered.

“What's it like?” 

“Father said it was incredible…” Sans eyelights became hazed, like his mind was somewhere else at the moment. Suddenly his phone went off. He flipped the cell open and looked at the message, face becoming stern. “I'm sorry Papyrus. I'm afraid I have to leave.” Wait. Leave!?

“Do you have to?” Puppy pleaded, hoping that he could stay a little longer. Sans gently rubbed his skull and smiled.

“Unfortunately yes. In the meantime why don't you look through the book and come up with more questions for later.” Puppy looked away sadly, but resigned himself and nodded. Sans handed the book over and kissed his forehead.

“I love you Sans.” Puppy hugged back. Sans just smiled and pulled away.

“I'll see you tomorrow.” Sans left the room and shut the door gently. Puppy glanced down at the book in his hands, running his hand over the smooth cover. He hugged it close to his chest and crawled under the covers, turning on his side and pulling the ball and Rubix Cube to his chest as well. Sans would be back tomorrow. It was so quiet now, so cold… and lonely. He buried his head under the blankets and clutched his things tightly. The only objects he has ever owned, and it was all thanks to Sans. Puppy eventually closed his sockets. Sans would be back in the morning, he would see his brother again soon. He just had to be patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wasn't going to continue this anytime soon, then I got a few more ideas fore some cute Swapfell interactions. Now here it is not even two weeks later... yeah.
> 
> I also just learned that Swapfell and Fellswap were two different AUs. I had assumed they were they same and this story kind of has elements from both...? As far as I can tell at least. The only difference I could see in the two were pallet and character design changes.
> 
> More will come maybe if I feel like it/come up with ideas/get an adorable suggestion for some brotherly bonding.
> 
> Enjoy the fluff!


	3. It's Been a Long Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Puppy is having doubts about his self worth, but Sans is there to help.

Sans sat at his desk trying to decipher the thirty-seventh page of the newest stack of guard reports. After father had died, the paperwork had been put on the backburner while a new captain was being selected and sworn in. He was certain the pile would be far smaller had Alphys not fought so hard for the position. If not for that reptile the entire affair would have been dealt with in a few days. With the way it went though it took over two weeks to finally settle the matter. He ended up battling Alphys for the position, and after a long fight he came out victorious. She has been keeping a low profile ever since, but whether it was from shame or trying to stay off the new captain’s radar Sans wasn't sure. Regardless he was now stuck with a massive pile of unfinished paperwork and very little time to get through it. He would have been much farther along had it not been for the chicken scratch these Guardsmen called handwriting. It was so bad that just staring at it for too long gave him a headache. The weary skeleton dropped the pen and rubbed his temples. This was ridiculous! Did father actually put up with such sloppiness from his Guardsmen?! He certainly remembered father working late at his desk but he never imagined it was due to the paperwork being unreadable. Sans would have to fix that, but for now it didn't matter. Sighing he glanced over at his alarm clock. 2:45 in the morning, and he was only halfway done. The headache was quickly becoming a migraine, and the few letters he could read started to look like nothing but scribbles.

Sans stood up and made his way out the bedroom door. Perhaps a drink would help with this migraine. Passing Papyrus’ room he stopped, hearing a strange noise on the other side. Carefully he leaned his ear hole against the door. It sounded like quiet sobbing. Sans pulled away with a furrowed brow bone. That's new, normally Papyrus sleeps through the whole night just fine. Gently he opened the door.

“Papyrus?” Sans asked. The bundle under the covers flinched a bit, slowly peeking his face through the blankets. It was clear he had been crying, orange tears staining his cheekbones and pillow case. “What’s wrong?” Sans walked further in when the younger skeleton didn't respond. He jolted at the others approach, ashamed that he’d been caught. 

“I'm okay…” Papyrus said quietly. He tried to inconspicuously wipe the tears from his cheek bones, though he didn't do a very good job.

“Papyrus.” Sans replied warningly. He would not tolerate any secrets being withheld from him, even if they were seemingly unimportant. Papyrus looked to the mattress shamefully, trying to collect his thoughts.

“... Am I a bad brother?” The younger croaked. That certainly wasn’t what Sans had expected.

“Of course not. What would make you think that?” Sans raise a brow bone in confusion. How long has the kid been thinking about this?

“... I-I had a dream w-where you sent me back t-to The Lab…” Papyrus whispered, fresh tears starting to form. “Y-you said I was a bad b-brother… a-and you didn't w-want me anymore…” Sans stared at him blankly, attempting to think up the right response. That was never a question he had asked himself while living with father. He had always been praised for being strong and talented. Feelings of inadequacy in this regard were never a real issue, and he honestly had no clue how to deal with them. Normally the response would be to toughen up and possibly discipline the child for showing such weakness, at least that's what the books from the Library said, but he felt this needed a different approach. Perhaps Papyrus was getting sick and having fever dreams? Leaning down he put the back of his hand against the youngers forehead. Sans was pretty sure this was how monsters would check if another had a fever, but skeletons are not nearly as sensitive to temperature changes as most monsters. Would this even be an effective method of checking? He was probably making a fool of himself. Sans stood up to the others confusion, Offering his hand to Papyrus.

“Come with me.” Sans commanded. It took a moment to sink in but eventually Papyrus took his hand while clutching the Rubix Cube close to his chest with the other. Sans grabbed a smaller blanket from the bed and led Papyrus into the living room. He sat the child on the sofa, wrapping him in the blanket before making his way towards the kitchen. “Wait here.” He ordered. Papyrus obeyed, not moving a muscle. Metaphorically speaking at least, since skeletons had no muscles to move. Satisfied Sans walked into the kitchen and began prep work. Setting some water to boil he grabbed the few packs of chamomile tea he had hidden away. Most monsters enjoy tea, but with how scarce food has been recently the prices for these little packs had skyrocketed. He had five stored away for rather special occasions, and he felt that a horrible migraine and an upset child constitutes one such moment. Once the water was ready and the tea bag had been soaked, Sans carefully took the used bag and put it on a plate to dry. He was certain the bag would be fine for at least one more use. Even if the tea wouldn't be as flavourful it was better than wasting it.

With two cups in hand Sans returned to the living room. Papyrus had remained seated on the couch fiddling with the cube. He seemed to have calmed down a bit, but was still visibly upset. Gracefully Sans walked over and took a seat next to the younger monster. Papyrus looked at him with wide sockets, especially when Sans handed him a cup of the steaming liquid. He eyed the brownish coloured fluid suspiciously, unsure if he could trust it or not.

“That is called tea.” Sans informed him.

“What's tea?” Papyrus questioned while taking a sniff.

“It's hot water soaked with certain leaves from different plants. It's good for you.” Sans took a small sip from his own mug, letting the flavour overtake his senses. He never realized how much he missed drinking this until now, and he planned on savoring every moment. Papyrus took another hesitant look at the cup before taking an experimental sip. He sneered a bit at the taste, but kept drinking it anyway. It’s a good thing the kid would literally eat just about anything. Sans was pretty sure Papyrus would eat rotten food straight from the dump if he let him.

“It taste bitter.” Papyrus commented. Sans didn't really agree, but perhaps the younger skeleton had an altered sense of taste from his own. It was impossible to tell. 

Grabbing the remote Sans flipped on the small TV. A Napstablock music video was playing, with many red and gray colours flashing across the screen. The video was rather violent, trickles of blood and screaming monsters running all over the place. Papyrus didn't seem to mind the gore, far too mesmerised by the moving images. Had the child ever seen a television? Sans was sure Papyrus was familiar with computer monitors from The Lab, but he supposed that was a bit different from a broadcast. As long as it maintained this calming effect he'd let the little skeleton watch all night, and it seemed to be working wonders already. Papyrus leaned into Sans’ side, sipping the tea slowly and body relaxing from the contact. He wasn't sure how to respond initially, but eventually rapped his arm around the smaller monster and sunk into the lumpy cushions. The contact was relatively calming. Sans had never done anything quite like this before, and it was… nice.

“Papyrus.” Sans said calmly after the music video ended. The smaller monster was getting tense again, trying to curl in on himself. “Why would you think that your not wanted?” Papyrus looked back down, not saying anything for a few minutes.

“...cuz I'm stupid…” Papyrus whispered quietly. “... and I always forget what you t-tell me to do… a-and I mess everything up…” The small skeleton went quiet again, staring at the mug in his hands like it was a lifeline. Is Papyrus really so fearful about this? Sans sighed and thought for a moment.

“If I didn't want you, would I give you toys and a bed to sleep in?” Sans questioned. Papyrus was quiet, thinking his words over carefully.

“... no?”

“Would I give you safe food everyday if I hated you?”

Papyrus seemed a little less certain this time, but answered by shaking his head.

“Would I be sitting on the couch with you right now if I didn't like you?” Papyrus finally looked up at his face, searching for any signs of insincerity.

“... no?” Papyrus answered with more of a question himself.

“I don't expect you to be super smart. You were part of the P-series subjects, and none of them were at quite the same level as the S-series.” Sans tried to explain what father had told him about the experiment lines, in a kinder way of course.

“I know remembering things may seem tough sometimes but you are still good at following orders in the moment. Besides, I'm here to help.” Papyrus looked up with confused eyelights, not quite understanding. “I'll work with you to improve your memory as long as you promise to keep being a good brother, alright?” 

“Okay.” Papyrus rubbed his sockets and smiled. The two went back to watching TV in silence, until an empty cup fell to the floor. Sans looked down at the small skeleton, softly snoring and cuddled into Sans’ shirt. Smiling softly he checked the time on the wall clock. 4:08 in the morning, it will be time for work soon. The paperwork briefly flashed across his mind before rejecting the idea. That chicken scratch could wait. Right now he would make himself comfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like Swapfell cuddles. It's too rare for this universe to just have nice brotherly bonding that doesn't involve smut or BDSM. At least that's what my search in the fanfic realm has resulted in, so have some platonic cuddles.


	4. A New Place, An Old Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Puppy has to get his ball back, but he has to go through a forbidden place to do it. 
> 
> Warning: body horror and child abuse in this chapter. If you wish to skip the parts with the warning tags the section is sandwiched between the *** signs and is italicised.

Papyrus was bouncing his ball off the wall for a change. Normally he would roll the ball around and chase it, or even toss it in the air and catch it. It could get rather boring though, and he wanted to see if the ball bounced off the wall like it did the floor. The answer was kinda, the ball went in very different directions that Papyrus wasn't expecting. Sometimes it would bounce back towards him, while other times it would go at a completely different angle. At one point the ball rolled out of his bedroom prompting Papyrus to follow. He leaned down and grabbed it near the railing where it rolled. This was super fun! What else could he bounce the ball on? Glancing around the catwalk his attention immediately gravitated to the railing. He's only ever bounced his ball off of flat surfaces, but what if he hit something narrow and rounded instead? He smiled, this would be so cool! Carefully he concentrated on a top section of the hand rail, focusing in and throwing the ball. It bounced high, ricocheting away from him and-

“No wait!” Papyrus chased after it but was too late. The ball had hit the floor and bounced into Sans’ room. The child froze. He had never been inside Sans’ room before, not even back when Captain Gaster was alive. He couldn't let his brother know his ball had gone in, Sans would be so mad! What if his brother beats him? Or locks him in a closet for days or doesn't feed him?! Papyrus was just getting used to two meals a day! He couldn't go back to none, he refused! Pacing back and forth the little skeleton tried to think.

Maybe he could sneak in and grab it before Sans got home? Yeah! That's a great plan, then he won't get punished. He just needs to actually enter the bedroom, just crack the door a little more and step inside. It was an easy task, so why weren't his legs moving? He glanced down to see his knees clacking together in fear. He was never one for taking risk. The few times he tried he had gotten beaten badly for it. But he didn't want to anger Sans, that was the most important thing here. He needed to make Sans happy and prove that he's a good little brother. Finally after several long minutes he reached his trembling hand out and pushed the door open. It creaked a bit causing the young skeleton to jump back in fear. He bolted to his own room, trembling for several minutes before noticing how quiet it was. He peaked out into the hallway, realizing that no one was after him. Papyrus really was just being a scaredy bones wasn't he? Taking another deep breath he slowly snuck down the hallway and peered into Sans’ bedroom. It was a bit bigger than his, and had a desk, chair, and a metal bed frame. There were several boxes stacked beside the desk, a computer that almost looked like the ones back at the lab, and a weird box thing on top of a dresser by the bed. There was so much in here! Of course his super special brother would get the best stuff, he is the greatest after all.

Papyrus carefully looked around the room, treading on the carpet lightly trying to make as little noise as possible. It was silly since Sans wouldn’t be home for a while yet, but the thought of doing something against the rules really did make him nervous. He got on all fours and looked under the bed. Aside from a few more boxes he still couldn’t find it. Standing up the skeleton began viciously scratching his arm. He had already been in here for far too long. Was his ball gone forever now? Papyrus turned and looked on top of the nicely made bed. There it was, sitting wedged between the pillow and the wall. The small skeleton beamed with excitement, he found the ball! Now he could leave before Sans noticed, then maybe take a nap? All of the worrying and searching had really made him tired. He tried grabbing it from the side with the dresser, only to notice that his arm couldn’t reach it. He took a step back and glanced between the bed and the door. He would have to crawl up to get it, but would Sans notice if he’s been on the bed?

He needed his ball back. It was a risk he had to take. Carefully he put both arms on the bed and clutched the blanket, swinging one leg up followed by another. He’s never had a real raised bed before, at least he had never properly gotten on and off of one. The times he did remember being in a bed like this was after particularly bad experiments in the lab. Sometimes Papyrus would be really hurt, and he’d wake up in a bed like this one hooked up to more machines than usual. Then Dr. Undyne or Dr. Gerson would always be there waiting for him to awaken. His body curled up involuntarily, all of the memories flashing across his mind.

***

_Everything hurt, and his body felt heavy and tied down. P-16 forced his sockets open only to realize he could only see through one eye. Nothing was visible in the other since a large heavy object had been forced into it while he slept. The pressure it caused was very uncomfortable, and something was penetrating all the way through the bone. P-16 tried to lift his arms to remove it, only to realize he couldn’t move. He was sandwiched between a thick wooly blanket and a hard mattress with his skull trapped in a restraint. Then he saw the large machines around him. A monitor with a lot of squiggly lines, another with symbols flashing on screen that he couldn’t read. He could feel the needles poking into every surface. The ones in his ulna and soul, and the large tube shoved up his nasal cavity. He wanted out! He wanted to leave! He wanted the pain to stop! P-16 began whimpering, tears forming at the corners of his socket as a sob started to escape._

_“Shut up.” Dr. Gerson growled from the other side of the room. “You’re alive still, so stop your belly aching before I shove something up your mouth too.” P-16 clamped his jaw shut in fear and stared at the ceiling. Maybe if he looked at the tiles long enough the pain would stop? It hasn't worked yet but that hasn't stopped him from trying. The sound of squeaky wheels on tile floor caught his attention. The doctor had rolled his chair over and rested several clamp like tools on the skeleton’s chest. The tortoise then grabbed a metal circular loop and held it up to P-16's skull._

_“Hold your socket wide open.” Dr. Gerson comma_ _nded coldly. P-16 did as ordered, knowing better than to disobey any of the staff here. The doctor fitted the rounded object into the rim of his socket, tightening a screw that forced the bone apart further. It stung badly and his socket wouldn't open anymore._ _Desperately he tried squeezing his socket shut, only to realize the device was forcing it to stay open. The doctor grabbed several clamp tools off of his chest, leaning over P-16's face and flipping a pair of magnifying glasses over his eyes. They made his yellow eyeballs look huge, accentuating all of the veins and off colorations of the organs. Doctor Gerson took a long narrow clamp and inserted it through his socket, grabbing at the tube in his nasal cavity and pulling it further in. If P-16 could move he'd be arching his back in agony. The feeling of the cold metal prying and moving inside his skull was maddening_.

_“N-no stop! Please get it out! I-it hurts! Please!!!” P-16 screamed and sobbed uncontrollably. The beeping from the machines got louder and more frequent, though his body still refused to move despite his desperation._

_“I said shut up!” Dr. Gerson snarled, not removing the tools from his head. “I need you awake for this one.” P-16 couldn’t control it, tears streaming from his eye and magic flaring a bit despite the restraints. “That's it.” Gerson turned and grabbed a muzzle and a piece of fabric. He forced the wet towel into P-16's mouth before clamping it shut with the muzzle. The towel was soaked in a horrible tasting liquid. It was so gross he was sure he would vomit. “The more you struggle the longer I'm keeping that in there.” P-16 whimpered but tried to stop his squirming. The doctor went back to work, poking and crossing the tubes and wires inside of his skull, breaking apart bone with a drill to get further inside his head as needed. It was painful. Maddening. The sensations and fear more than he could stand. No one would help him. He was on his own again. Why did it always hurt so much? Why wouldn’t it stop?!_

_It hurt._

_It really hurt_.

_He didn’t want this! He-_

***

“Papyrus?”

The child shot up screaming, body suddenly being pulled into a field of blackness. He was floating, unsure where he was or where he was going. Suddenly a bright light flashed before him, and he hit the tile floor very hard. He curled in on himself and screamed. Tears were wetting his face and the floor but he couldn't stop them. He was rattling and convulsing from the sobs wracking his frame.

“Papyrus!” Loud footfall sounded from upstairs, getting closer until a pair of firm hands picked him off the ground. He was being held tightly, the other clearly not sure how to react.

“Papyrus? Stop it this instant!” Sans shook the boy roughly trying the break him from his crying fit. It didn't work, only causing the child to wail louder. “I said enough!” He slapped Papyrus across the cheek bone. The slap hurt, and now Papyrus was even more upset. Sans’ hands began to tremble as his grip on the skeleton tightened.

“Puppy please.” Sans finally said in a softer manor. Papyrus latched hard around Sans’ breastplate, crying into the cold metal and clutching on for dear life. Sans eventually stopped speaking, opting to get comfortable on the floor and hold the smaller monster until he was done. The younger brother had no idea how long they had been there, but eventually his fear was replaced by exhaustion and his wailing turned into quiet hiccups.

“Are you done?” Sans asked softly. Papyrus simply nodded his head but never pulled away from Sans’ chest. “Could you tell me why you were sleeping on my bed?” Papyrus stiffened at that. He was caught. Sans saw him and now he'd get punished for being in there.

“I-I was… t-t-trying to find my… m-my ball.” The younger whispered. He tried to say more but his mouth wouldn't cooperate and only a string of incohesive sounds came out. Eventually he gave up and went back to hiding his face in the sheet of metal.

“Alright.” Sans breathed after a few minutes of silence. “Have you ever teleported before?” Papyrus looked up at Sans completely baffled. What is ‘teleporting?’ Sans pondered his response to the silent question before answering. “Have you ever been in one place then found yourself in another without moving?” Papyrus shook his head. This was the first time he's ever ‘teleported’ and it was rather frightening.“That's something we’ll need to improve upon later.” Sans scratched his chin and appeared to be in deep thought. He eventually stood up with Papyrus in tow, carrying him out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

“A-am I in trouble?” Papyrus asked meekly.

“For scaring me like that, yes.” Papyrus flinched at the response but nodded, tucking his head in expecting to be hit. “As punishment you will not be allowed to leave your room tomorrow, and I would like to keep a close eye on you tonight.” Papyrus watched as they passed his bedroom door, confusion growing as they stopped in front of Sans’ room. He pushed the door opened and entered, sitting Papyrus on the bed before moving to unbuckle his armour.

Sans pulled off his breastplate, revealing the battle scars littering his ribs. It wasn't just from fighting, Papyrus recognized a few of the older scars as matching his own. The younger clutched at his rib cage tightly. He knew they were both from The Lab but never thought Sans had been experimented on in the same way. Papyrus had always assumed that his older brother was made perfect and was therefore never given the same treatment. Sans pulled on a black tank top before taking an item from his inventory. It was fuzzy and ragged looking, with several dirt stains and a missing eye, but Papyrus could still recognize the animal.

“Is that a bear?” Papyrus asked hesitantly.

“It's actually your bear.” Sans handed the toy over to the other before taking a seat at his desk. Papyrus was too transfixed by the toy to notice. It was soft despite its wear and smelled like Sans’ laundry detergent. He held the bear close to his chest and squeezed it, not expecting the toy to be so squishy. It was like a fun shaped pillow!

“Thank you brother.” Papyrus added after a few minutes. He was so excited that he nearly forgot his manners.

“You’re welcome.” Sans replied while pulling some papers from a large stack. “Why don't you take a nap? You seem tired.” Papyrus nodded, even though Sans wasn't looking his way to see it. He curled into a ball at the bottom of the bed trying to take up as little space as possible. “You can sleep on it like your own bed.” Sans commented even though he hadn't turned around once since taking a seat. Papyrus clutched the bear and slowly crawled to the head of the bed. He made his way under the blankets, popping his head out and trying to stay close to the wall. It was a bit silly, especially since the bed was at least twice as big as his mattress. Still, it wasn't sleeping at the foot like before and Sans didn't say anything else. Papyrus squirmed a bit, his body sinking into the cozy mattress and warmth surrounding him. The best part though was the smell. It smelled just like Sans, the one person in this world that has brought any sort of joy to his life, and the only person that could understand his pain. It was comforting, and Papyrus couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face. Hugging the bear tightly he watched as Sans worked, eventually losing the battle against grogginess and falling into a deep restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was working on my other fics when this idea popped up and I wrote it out in like a day. Hope yall enjoy. An angsty chapter this time but it ends kind of happily.
> 
> Comments are always appreciated.


	5. Along Came a Spider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans returns home to find that Papyrus has made a new friend, much to his chagrin.

Sans marched home through the freezing winds and falling snow. Another stupid day of getting the Guard whipped into shape. It shouldn't be this hard! Bratty and Catty seem to be the only ones that know how to act! At least Alphys has returned. So far she has been acting the part of a faithful lieutenant, but he still has suspicions about her. Stars there are so many of his own to watch out for. Father really was the greatest captain to ever live. Finally he approached the house, shaking the snow off his boots and armour before unlocking the door. At least his little pet would alleviate some stress. It was always relaxing doing things with Papyrus around.

“Sans! Sans!” Papyrus chanted happily as the older brother stepped inside.

“Well, you seem more energetic then normal.” Sans commented while sliding his boots off. “What has you so happy?” Papyrus giggled, like he was hiding a big secret or something.

“I made a friend.” Papyrus whispered with an air of joy. Sans’ posture went completely stiff. Papyrus had been talking with someone? Someone made it into the house?!

“You did?” Sans tried to say calmly through gritted teeth. Papyrus seemed to sense the change in mood as he immediately stopped smiling and shrunk in on himself.

“U-uhuh.” Papyrus said less certain. “You w-won't hurt them, r-right?” The child asked desperately. Sans would indeed have zero tolerance for anyone invading his home, but he couldn't have Papyrus hiding the culprit.

“No.” Sans lied. “Could you tell me more about them?” 

“... They’re very small… and quiet…” Papyrus whispered.

“I see. Could you introduce them to me?” Sans asked next, finally finding the calm voice he wanted. Papyrus hesitated, looking down and scratching violently at his left ulna.

“You… you promise not to hurt them?” Papyrus asked shakily. Sans’ expression softened a bit, eventually gaining a small grin.

“As long as they aren't here to hurt you or I, then they will be safe.” Sans managed while putting a reassuring hand on the others shoulder. Papyrus seemed to calm down a bit and nodded, leading the way to his bedroom. He cautiously opened the door, making his way over to the small dresser by his mattress. Sans stood with his hands behind his back, radiating his power and position as strongly as possible.

“Hi there.” Papyrus whispered in a slightly higher pitched voice. “Can you come out please? I have someone for you to meet.” There were several long seconds of silence while Papyrus reached his hand back behind the dresser. Slowly he pulled his arm out and gently placed his other hand over the creature. He turned to look at the older skeleton, clearly still nervous but working up the strength to continue. “T-this is my new friend…” Papyrus removed his hand to reveal a disgusting sight. In his bony palm was a spider, a rather large one at that. It took up the majority of his hand and was completely covered in grey hairs. It looked up at the intimidating monster with its four beady eyes before scurrying up Papyrus’ shirt sleeve and appearing next on top of his skull. 

“I… see.” Sans finally commented after a long bout of silence. It was hideous and disgusting and normally he would abliderate all vermin that dare enter his home, but he did have a promise to uphold. “And does your… ‘friend’ have a name?”

“H-her name is Webby… she doesn't talk s-so I gave her one…” Papyrus looked up nervously. The taller skeleton had never seen the child look so desperate before, not even when he was being dragged back to The Lab. He reminded Sans of a kicked puppy, a lost kicked puppy begging for someone to show him kindness. There was a second pause, Papyrus scratching his arm and looking away while Sans tried to decide on his next action. Suddenly the spider disappeared down the neck of Papyrus’ shirt, appearing again on his hand. Slowly the younger’s expression began to change, going from defeated to trying to hold back laughter.

“Nyeh… Nyeheheheh!” Papyrus giggled loudly as the spider attempted to bite his phalanges. “That tickles Webby!” The child looked down happily, seeming to forget the tension still hanging in the room.

“Look Sans! She's nibbling my fingers!” Papyrus went back to laughing without noticing the disdain on his brother's face. It's a good thing bone is too hard for that little shit to bite through, otherwise Sans would have taken great pleasure in ripping its legs off one by one and letting it lay helpless for hours. The elder monster was brought out of his thoughts by a loud squeal. Papyrus was clutching his sides laughing uncontrollably, the spider crawling around inside his shirt and tickling his rib cage. At this point Sans’ contempt was starting to morph into something else. He wanted to say jealousy? Yes that's a good word. Sans himself had never managed to make Papyrus smile or laugh like this, and the boys been living with him for nearly three months now! The mutt will still act nervous around his caretaker sometimes, but he meets a disgusting arachnid and falls for it in a few hours!?

“Why don’t we show your… ‘friend’ around the house.” Sans hissed. Papyrus beamed up like this was the greatest news ever, lifting his shirt and coaxing Webby back into his hand.

“Were going on a trip Webby!” Papyrus whispered while gently stroking its thorax. Sans shivered before leading the little skeleton down the stairway. Papyrus quietly babbled behind him, the most he has ever heard the child speak at one time. “This is the stairs Webby. Be careful not to fall down them or Sans will get mad. That over there is Sans’ room. He doesn’t like people entering without permission so you should stay out. Your welcome in my room though…” The one sided conversation went on much the same until they reached the kitchen. Sans coaxed Papyrus into the room, immediately heading for the sink upon entry.

“Could you place… ‘Webby’ on the table.” Sans forced out while digging through the cabinets. If he remembered correctly there should be a… found it! Carefully Sans pulled out a glass vase while Papyrus had his back turned. The child was carefully setting the spider on the table as asked. Perfect.

Swiftly Sans had the vase over the spider before either of them could blink. Papyrus gasped and jumped backwards while the spider scurried around its new prison.

“B-but you promised you wouldn't hurt her!” Papyrus rasped on the verge of tears.

“Now now, your friend is not injured, see.” Papyrus shakily took another look to see that Webby was indeed physically unharmed. “I would like to learn a little more about ‘Webby.’ It may seem trustworthy but you and I both know that there are many liars in the Underground.” Papyrus looked like he wanted to say something before shutting his jaw and staring sadly at the ground. Sans ignored him for now, pulling out his phone and taking a picture of the frightened arachnid. He turned to exit, leaving Papyrus standing forlornly by the table.

“C-can I let Webby go?” Papyrus asked meekly.

“No.” Sans answered. “Not until I learn more about it. You are permitted to sit in the kitchen and keep it company in the meantime.” Sans headed towards the front door before turning around again. “If the spider is missing by the time I return then you will be in serious trouble, and I will also hunt down and kill your little friend. Understood?” Papyrus nodded while wiping a few tears away, sitting down near the vase and watching it. Sans turned to leave, locking the door behind him before stomping through the frigid wind. He had suspicions as to whom the spider belonged to, and he was going to confront her about it. Sans approached the establishment, looking up coldy at the “Muffet’s” sign above the doorway. With great force he slammed the door open, causing all the customers to go quiet. He sneered as the stench hit his nasal cavity. Pastries and alcohol, disgusting. He stormed his way to the counter, radiating killing intent as he went. Most of the weaker monsters, or at least those sober enough to recognize the danger, quietly left as he passed. The tougher ones stayed, giving him angry glances before going back to their drinks.

“Welcome Captain.” Muffet stated without demonstrating much emotion. She had always been good at maintaining her poker face no matter the situation. Regardless her grip tightened around the glass in her hand as Sans approached the counter.

“I’m here to speak with you. Alone.” Muffet’s eyes narrowed and her posture stiffened, but she gave a small nod.  
“Very well.” Muffet stated. She gave a signal to her spiderlings and they proceeded to throw out any stragglers, leaving the spider monster and Guard Captain as the only occupants.”What can I do for you?” She asked next. Sans glared at her menacingly, slamming his fist hard against the wooden counter.

“What are you after?!” He growled. Muffet looked rather perplexed, as if she didn't know anything. “Don't play dumb! I caught one of your spies in my house!” Sans pulled out his phone, going to the nearly empty image gallery and pulling up the picture of ‘Webby.’ He held the phone up forcefully. Muffed leaned in observing it for several seconds before smirking.

“So the rumors are true. You really did take in a collared.” She stood up straighter and put the glass away, next taking a supply of webbing and knitting napkins. Sans’ eyelights turned to pinpricks, pulling the phone back and studying the image. Sure enough a slight hint of Papyrus’ distorted reflection could be seen in the vase. Though his featured weren't clear, there was no way for Sans to play it of as his own. Instead he met her comment with a threat.

“Do you want the Guard to keep protecting your shipments or not?” Sans growled warningly. Muffet held two of her hands up before grinning.

“Ahuhuhu~ Now now Captain. As the best place for drunk monsters in Snowdin I tend to hear many things. I'm just letting you know what's been said.” Sans scoffed but went back to the main topic.

“Is this THING one of your own?”

“If your asking if it's a relative of mine then no.” Muffet answered. “It’s not even a spider monster.” 

“Continue.” Sans ordered after a moment of silence.

“It's a female wolf spider. I’m not sure why she took up residence in your home, but she'll do more good than harm in regards to pest control. That is if you haven't killed her already.” Muffet finished with a flash of anger radiating from her own soul. Sans scanned her features for any signs of deception. She seemed to be telling the truth, and she wasn’t giving any physical hints of deceit. However, one can never be too careful in this world.

“Is it a spy of yours or not?” Sans finally asked directly. Muffet just giggled.

“Ahuhuhu~ Believe me Captain, if I wanted spies in your house you would never have caught them. Besides, I wouldn't want to jeopardize our current agreement.” Now that much Sans could believe. Their arrangement was rather simple. Her spiderlings helped undermine the other local crime syndicates to prevent gang wars, and the Royal Guard provides extra security for her supply shipments. It's a deal that's existed long before Father died, and so far there had been no reason for Sans to mess with it.

“No more questions.” Sans stood and marched towards the exit. Muffet giggled and went back to work, prompting the angry skeleton to roll his eyelights. If what she said was indeed true, then ‘Webby’ wasn’t a monster. However, Sans knew nothing about ‘wolf spiders’ or how dangerous they were, so a bit of research would be necessary. He turned right upon leaving, heading to the library down the street. He swiftly entered, going to the Non-Fiction section and pulling several books on spiders. He checked them out before shoving them into his inventory and leaving as quickly as he entered. As the Royal Guard Captain, he could abuse his power and just take the books, but what sort of example would that set? Not a good one, and he's far classier than petty thievery.

Sans entered his warm home, locking the front door for a fourth time that day. With a sigh he slowly headed towards the kitchen. What the hell should he do now? He was really hoping his talk with Muffet would mean he could kill the stupid thing. He could always lie to Papyrus, but he's been trying to teach the small skeleton about being honest with him. That needed to be a two way street, at least until Papyrus was completely truthful with him on all matters. He slowly swung the kitchen door open to see Papyrus sitting on the table. His arms and legs were wrapped around the vase, and he was resting his head on its base… napping. Of course he fell asleep. Sans didn't know why he expected any differently.

“Papyrus.” The little skeleton jolted, quickly trying to wipe the tear tracks off his cheekbones. Sans took a big breath and exhaled slowly, leveling himself before he got angry. “Why are you on the table?” The little skeleton averted his gaze, choosing a spot on the floor before answering.

“... I-I wanted to hug Webby… b-but you s-said you'd *hic* k-kill her if I t-took her out.” Sans sighed again and pinched his nasal bone. This kid is such a crybaby, and that stuttering was unacceptable. He'd have to work on that in the future. Sans made a mental note before stepping closer, prompting Papyrus to hug the vase tighter. “P-please don’t kill her. I-I was good, I p-promise I was good.”

“... I’m not going to kill your spider.” Sans breathed. Papyrus looked up at him like the barrier had been broken.

“*Hic*... y-your not?” Papyrus rasped.

“No. It appears that… ‘Webby’ isn't here to harm anyone. As long as she eats the insects that get into the house she can stay.” Papyrus stared at him with wide sockets, eyelights suddenly become big and sparkly before the waterworks started again. “Wait. Why are you crying?! I said you could keep the stupid vermin!” Sans yelled defensively.

“I-I’m j-j *hic*... Nyeh!” Papyrus started bawling, moving over to hug Sans around the torso. The older skeleton lifted his arms up awkwardly, completely at a loss for words. The kid was crying from… happiness? People can cry from getting too happy?! They’re only supposed to cry from pain and agony! Sans was just getting used to that much with this kid, and now he’s throwing THIS in his face?! Sans looked back down at Papyrus, now having an even worse case of hiccups from all the sobbing. “T-thank *hic* you brother.” Sans just looked at him, still not having recovered from his recent revelation. Does he hit the child? Last time he smacked Papyrus it made the boy cry harder, but this was very different. He needs to be reprimanded for showing weakness, it's what a proper guardian would do.

Slowly he balled his left hand into a fist before raising it in preparation. All he needed to do was strike the child in the head, that wasn't so hard. So why wasn't his hand moving? Suddenly Sans’ resolve weakened, his hand coming down in an open palm instead. “... there… there?” Sans awkwardly patted Papyrus’ back. Stars he’d rather deal with Papyrus having another panic attack over this shit. At least he figured out a decent method for resolving that particular issue. “Can you tone it down now?”

“N-Nyehuh.” Papyrus sniffled and wiped more tears from his face. The kid’s shirt is probably soaked again. Sans would need to be sure to wash it later.

“Could you get the spider off my table now?” Sans asked. There was no way in hell he could touch that thing without killing it. Papyrus nodded, finally letting go and moving over to the vase. He tilted the glass and let the spider crawl into his palm.

“There there Webby.” Papyrus cooed, but was still crying too much to succeed. “Sans *hic* Sans s-said you could stay with me.” He gently stroked the spider’s thorax while walking slowly towards the stairs. Sans waited until he heard Papyrus’ door softly clicking shut before taking a seat. He couldn't keep babying Papyrus like this. For some reason he was having trouble with discipline. Father made it look easy. He managed to beat the little skeleton quite often and never had any remorse. Perhaps Sans’ LOVE is too low? Father had a LOVE of 27, and he carried it so well! Sans hoped he could be at least half as good as Father when it came to raising Papyrus. Sans was raised to be powerful and a great leader, he could only hope to at the very least kick the boy of his sleeping habits. He inhaled deeply and squeezed his eyes shut, letting his head hit the table with a loud clank. Tomorrow would mark a new chapter in his parenting methods, one of tough love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spiders aren't scary. Mean fish monsters and grumpy turtles with needles are horrifying, but how could a reclusive spider be bad? That's what Puppy thinks anyway. And the funny thing is that wolf spiders don't even make webs. They actually chase down their prey like tigers, and can be very caring mothers.
> 
> My sister introduced me to Lucas the Spider, and since then I've had an inkling to write this. The next chapter of my main fic is almost done, I just wanted to do another cutesy chapter before all the bad stuff that I'll be writing. Link to the video that inspired this fluff.
> 
> https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Isvqg90LhqM
> 
> Comments are always appreciated.


	6. Stranger Danger: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things around Snowdin have felt very off lately, and Papyrus has to fight for his life when strangers threaten his safety.

Papyrus sat between the couch and wall, hugging his bear tightly. The air was tense. It had been tense for nearly a week now, but this was different. It felt as if the air itself would crack from the strain. He thought the atmosphere in the Lab was bad. There it just felt depressing and hopeless, too many subjects dreading or praying for their own demise. This was new though, and he really didn't like it either. 

The little skeleton made his way over to the boarded up window, trying to see through a crack in the planks. What was going on outside? There was a lot of shouting from what it sounded like, and things were normally very quiet, he's never heard activity outside of the house before, with the exception of snowstorms shaking the window, but that was the extent of it. It sounded like monsters, and from what he could tell a lot of angry monsters. It was dark, but he could make out what appeared to be magical attacks. Flashes of yellows and purples exploded in his vision, making Papyrus jump back in shock. This wasn't good. He knew he'd be safe in the house, but something about this made him very fearful. Cautiously without taking his eyes off the boards he made his way towards the stairs, bolting upwards as soon as his foot touched the first step. Bursting into his room he ran straight for his bed and pulled back the covers. His belongings were all there. He would have to hide, and it didn't feel right abandoning everything he owned. Carefully he grabbed his toys and book, sliding them gently into his inventory before running towards the dresser.

“Webby?” Papyrus whispered. The hairy spider crawled into view, climbing up his fingers once provoked. “Hurry Webby! We need to hide.” Gently he coaxed the arachnid further up his arm. They needed to find cover until Sans returned. He didn't want to be in the open anymore. Quickly he ran to the closet, opening the nearly empty space and closing the door. Curled up in the corner, Papyrus watched the crack in the frame and waited. It was much harder to hear the commotion outside from up here. Hopefully Sans would be home soon, then everything would be okay. He just needed to wait, even if it was still very scary. He held Webby close to his chest, stroking her thorax slowly while trying to wait out the deafening silence. It was maddening, as if he'd been trapped in this quiet tension for an eternity already. 

Then he heard it. A loud slamming noise against a door downstairs. The pounding became more frequent until he could hear the door being smashed in. There were muffled voices too. They were very loud and angry, and getting closer.

“Loot what ya can!” He heard a deep voice shout from downstairs. “It's a free for all tonight!” The sounds of monster rummaging and rushing around made him rattle. That wasn't Sans. None of those monsters downstairs were his brother. So why were these strange monsters in their home?

“Coco, Kid, search the upper floors. He's sure to have somethin’ worthwhile up there.” A higher pitch voice shouted. Loud footfall sounded on the stairwell, far too clumsy to be Sans. The young skeleton tensed, closing his eye sockets and praying the monsters would pass. The footsteps got louder and louder, and then softer. He could hear a door down the hallway being forced open. They must be in Sans’ room.

“Not much valuable shit in here.” A male monster stated loundly. That's when the doorknob to his own room jiggled, the door being pulled off the hinges and a roughly dressed female rabbit monster looking inside.

“There's a second bedroom up here. Did the Captain have a collared?” The rabbit ‘Coco’ yelled out. 

“Don't know. See if ya can find one. The Captain’s former collared is sure to fetch a high price at market.” She stepped further inside, flipping the mattress and tossing the dresser on its side. Papyrus tried desperately to crawl further back into the wall. This was bad. They were going to find him and sell him back to the Lab, or they would just torture him themselves. Neither of which seemed like good options. Shakily he took a breath, placing Webby inside his eye socket to hide. He didn't mind having things inside his left eye socket anymore. He lost feeling in it long ago due to some unsavory experiments, but it made a great place to keep Webby. 

Now he could focus. Closing his sockets he thought of the only real place he could remember outside of the house. The boat dock was an image he would never forget. The day when… no. Now's not the time to think sad things. He could do this. He honestly had no clue how far his shortcuts could go, but now would be a great time to get as far as possible. Gathering his magic he focused on the image of the boat dock like Sans had taught him. It was clear in his memory. He wanted to be there. He wanted to be at the dock… so why hasn't he teleported yet?

Suddenly the closet door was yanked open, the scarred rabbit grinning viciously. She quickly snached his arm in a tight grip, pulling him roughly off the floor.

“I found hi-” in a flash Papyrus was floating in the darkness, staying silent for several seconds before falling hard into a patch of snow.

“The hell just happened?!” The skeletons sockets shot open upon hearing Coco’s voice. She had lost her grip upon landing. He needed to run NOW! Quickly Papyrus scurried to his feet before the rabbit monster could recover.

“Hey! Stop brat!” Coco reached a clawed hand but missed by less than an inch. Papyrus never let up, scurrying between several tightly packed trees trying to gain some distance. He didn't recognize the area, the darkness of the night didn't help matters, but right now that didn't matter. He could hear her profanities growing fainter as she was held up by several low hanging branches. He still couldn't stop yet, not until he was completely alone. The little skeleton was panting hard, running as quickly as he could through the underbrush and deeper into the dark forest. What was happening?! Where was Sans?! Why did those monsters invade their house?! There were so many things wrong with this, but he couldn't stop now. He needed to escape the fighting, he needed to find Sans and-

Papyrus screamed as a large hand grabbed his ankle and pulled him into the air. A magenta orb appeared nearby, revealing his attacker to be a large ugly bear missing an eye.

“Look what I caught!” The brown bear growled. A scarfed mouse monster scurried into view, looking him over with magenta coloured eyes. Papyrus dangled helplessly, watching the monster with wide sockets and rattling softly.

“This brats a collared.” The mouse gripped the fabric strip thoughtfully before pulling back when the ward burnt him. “And owned by a strong monster at that.” The bear held Papyrus up higher, pulling his neck close to get a better look. The skeleton squeezed his sockets shut in anticipation of pain.

“He belongs to the Captain. Maybe he's related to him?”

“Ya mean former Captain. The bastards probably dead by now.” Papyrus’ sockets shot open. Sans is dead? But he's the most powerful monster in the world! No one can kill him.

“Liar.” Both monsters turned to face him before the two began laughing.

“Your one stupid kid. Don't ya know the Undergrounds in full out war! At the rate things are going the whole Capital will be nothin’ but rubble in a few days.” The mouse walked closer then, the large bear lowering him so the smaller could reach easier. “Now then, let's see what we're dealin’ with.” Using his sharp claws the mouse ripped a huge hole in his shirt, destroying the neckline and completely exposing his rib cage. Papyrus shrieked and tried to fight back, but the accompanying slap across the face reminded him too much of a certain sadistic fish monster. He went stock still then, picking a darkly silhouetted tree and attempting to make out more details as a distraction. Roughly the monster touched his stenum, forcing Papyrus to summon his soul. His face fell immediately.

“That’s bull! If he's related to the Captain then he shoulda had a blue soul! Not an uncorrupted orange one!” The mouse scratched him across the cheek. “Useless twirp!”

“Relax. It's a skeleton after all, that alone raises his worth plenty. He's small enough to be a great little worker, and when he's older I imagine he’ll make a good little whore. Lot a’ monsters will want ta try a few hours with a rare skeleton. Not many can say they banged one.” Papyrus’ sockets went wide with horror and he started squirming immediately. He knew exactly what they were talking about, and there was no way he wanted any part of that. Summoning several bones he flung them at the bear, striking him in the nose earning a loud snarl. The larger monster quickly whacked the child against a nearby tree, earning a yelp and cracking his skull. White hot pain exploded across the back of his head, and Papyrus was pretty sure he blacked out for a few seconds. 

“Sucks about his magic though.” The mouse went on ignoring the brutal beating. “Ya know how much a striped shirt with a blue or green soul fetches at market? A lot more than this shits common one.” Papyrus cringed back at the pain in his head, no longer following the others conversation. 

“In the name of Queen Toriel you are under arrest!” A rough voice shouted from close by. The two captors turned to face her, but Papyrus’ vision was too splotchy to see properly. Just staying conscious was using all of his energy as it was.

“Slave trade of children is illegal, and punishable by death! Will you surrender peacefully?” The large reptile asked. The bear threw the half conscious skeleton to his mouse friend, allowing the smaller to start running while he dived at the Royal Guardsman.

“Your leaders dead! You have no power here!” The bear monster snarled as he swiped at her. She didn't bother dodging, summoning an axe and blocking his claws easily.

“Your an idiot.” She stated before surrounding both monsters in a cage of yellow axes. “The coup failed. Your rebellions failed traitors!” 

“We ain't traitors!” The mouse monster squealed fearfully. Suddenly a sharp axe split his skull in two, dusting the mouse immediately and dropping Papyrus in his remains.

“Could of fooled me.” She summoned several axes from the ground around the bear monster. Each swinging upwards from around his feet and slashing his upper torso. The monster let out one final scream before disintegrating, leaving the skeleton alone with the scary Guardsman. She made her way over, armour clanking with each heavy step she took. Papyrus tried to squirm away, but each movement made his head throb even worse. He managed to flip on his stomach, though his effort was rewarded by vomiting the little magic he had right after.

“Hold still brat.” She commanded. The skeleton went stock still, too scared by her tone to try again. Suddenly her clawed hand was gently griping his collar, rolling it around in her fingers allowing the ward to spark angrily.

“You do belong to Sans.” The reptile stated under her breath, not even reacting to the flaming magic scorching her claws. Papyrus forced his sockets open, getting a blurry look at the imposing figure. Above him was a bulky towering monster. She was taller then Sans, and had a long scaly tail that flick sporadically. She was leaning over him, her dark eye flashing dangerously. “Stand up kid.” The reptile commanded. Papyrus tried to comply, but doubled over again as soon as he got to his knees. The Guardsman growled angrily bouncing a bit on her feet.

“It freaking freezing out here! Your lucky you belong to the Captain you weak brat!” She lifted him by his back vertebrae and carried him along, allowing his feet and hands to drag along in the snow. The reptile grumbled profanities the entire way while Papyrus stayed quite. He knew it was better not to provoke an angry monster, and this one was both angry and strong. Her armour bore the delta ruin though, meaning she had to work for Sans, right? Maybe once she calmed down he could ask her where brother went, but right now all he wanted to do was sleep. Yeah, sleep sounds like a great idea...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a two part one shot. I could have combined it into one but didn't feel like finishing the second half yet. 
> 
> Anyway I love writing cute Swapfell stories between Pap and Sans, but I'm running out of ideas! Therefor if anyone has any prompts/request of things you would like to see from these two, leave them down in the comments and there's a good chance I'll make it happen ;D
> 
> Comments are always appreciated.


	7. Stranger Danger Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus finds himself in a strange place with no idea who these people are. It's a stressful situation.

Papyrus awoke in a dark room, not recognising any of it. He shot up gripping his sore head anxiously, feeling the bandage taped to the back of his skull. His body tensed and his breathing became heavy. This was bad. This was all sorts of bad.

He fell asleep.

Stars why couldn't he stay awake!? 

He had no clue where he was now, or whether Sans would be able to find him. Was he being sold? Has he already been sold and delivered?! It wasn't The Lab at the very least, so he supposed he could take some comfort in that. Actually it was a rather pretty room. There was a single curvy lamp lit on a small table by a black loveseat, and he was currently laying on a large bed even bigger than Sans’. The covers and pillows were also dark in color, matching the dark wood furniture pieces in the room. It was very comfortable, but he couldn't sleep any longer. There was a golden opportunity that he couldn't pass up.

He had been left alone. Perhaps he could use this chance to try escaping? Yes, he could try to sneak out and hopefully find Sans. Worst case scenario he'd be dusted, and that was honestly better than being sent to The Lab again. Anything is better than that fate. However he would try to stay alive for Webby’s sake. He has been protecting her so far and wouldn't want to leave her alone in a strange place.

“Are you ready Webby?” Papyrus held his hand to his socket waiting for the spider to tickle his fingers. After several minutes of waiting, however, he realized something was wrong.

“... Webby?” Papyrus began to panic when again nothing crawled forward. He proceeded to gently feel the interior of his eye socket, then more firmly when no spider turned up.

“Webby?!” Frantically the child began searching the bed, breathing quickening when he found nothing. Where is she?! He knew the spider was in his socket back at the house, but then he hadn't checked on her at all after that. Did she fall out? If so where?! Was it when the bear smashed his head against that tree? Or maybe after he passed out? Maybe he was wrong and Webby really hasn't frozen to death in the woods? Perhaps she crawled out after they arrived here and was now hiding behind some furniture? Yes! That had to be it! Oh please let that be it.

Quietly Papyrus crawled off the bed, looking around for all the potential hiding places. 

“Webby? Please come out now.” No motion from any direction only increased his concern. Hurriedly he crawled to his hands and knees, pulling the sheets up to peer under the bed. It was dusty but completely empty of life, plus too low to the ground for him to hide under. Pulling back he started searching under the dresser, praying Webby was still alive.

The door clicked causing Papyrus to jump. He's too late. He's lost his chance to escape and now his fate was sealed. Sharp clacking sounds echoed off the hardwood floor as the monster got closer. The child stiffened, curling into a ball and squeezing his sockets shut.

“Ah, there you are.” A feminine yet dangerous voice purred. Papyrus’ eyes opened slowly, hesitantly glancing up at the stranger.

A spider woman approached, possibly around Sans’ height. She was wearing a bartenders uniform, having three arms on one side and two on the other. She flicked her hair, which all but the bangs appeared to be held back in a tight bun. Papyrus was stunned. The only person he'd ever seen dressed so nicely was Captain Gaster, and that was in full military uniform for special events in New Home. No, this was different. The black shorts and vest on top of the puffy sleeved blouse was far prettier. And the big black heeled boots that ended several inches below the shorts gave her a dangerous appearance as she stepped closer. She leaned in, her five eyes focusing closely on the child as she adjusted the square glasses covering two of them.

“Why are you down there?” The spider asked formally. Papyrus tried to answer, he really did, but something about her made his voice disappear. 

“I-I… you…”

“Yes?” The women prompted motioning her arm gracefully.

“Y-you’re really pretty.” Papyrus managed to blurt out before covering his mandible hurriedly. That wasn't what he meant to say, though that's certainly what he was thinking. He'd never seen anyone so pretty in his life, and he just wanted to look at her forever. Apparently the woman didn't know what to think, staring at him wide eyed before falling into several hummored giggles.

“Ahuhuhu~ I fear flattery will get you nowhere young one. You didn't answer my question either.” The skeleton blushed orange but couldn't get anymore words out, instead choosing to look at the wall corner. The woman stood up straight and scratched her chin thoughtfully.

“Would you like something to eat?” Papyrus perked up immediately before trying to hide his face. Yes he wanted food, but he didn't want her food. What if she was like that mean bear and mouse monster? Did the spider woman want to do the same? For all he knew the food could be drugged or poisoned or who knows what. The last thing he wanted was to be sold in his sleep, or wake up strapped to a lab table again. The thought alone made him shudder. Apparently his initial reaction was all she needed, as she swiftly clapped her hands prompting a shorter spider monster on all eight legs to approach. He had a plate on his back, on top of which sat several cupcakes. She grabbed one with blue frosting and presented it to the child. Papyrus eyed it longingly but stayed in place. He wouldn't give in, if the results were as bad as he expected he would never eat it willingly.

“Is something wrong? The cupcake is for you.” The lady told him slowly. Papyrus shook his head and looked away, not wanting anything to do with it. “I think I see the problem.” The woman pulled the cupcake away, prompting Papyrus to glance back up at her. She was peeling back the paper cup around the pastry, sticking a side of the treat to her mouth and taking a sizeable bit. She swallowed, and a long waiting game lasting several minutes proceeded with the two watching each other. Eventually the woman smiled and spun around, demonstrating that her health wasn't affected.

“See young one? I am not here to harm you, now please eat.” She held the cupcake forward again, this time Papyrus taking it slowly before shoving it in his mouth. His socket doubled in size at the explosion of flavour. He thought the jam Sans put on his bread rations was a treat, but this was on a different level entirely! The sweet taste was overtaking his senses, and he had never eaten anything remotely close in flavour to this. He didn't know what to compare it to, but either way it was delicious!

“Do you like it?” The spider woman asked gently. Papyrus nodded eagerly as he shoved the paper wrapping in his mouth. The woman giggled some more before making her way towards the short black couch by the wall. “If you come and sit with me you can have all the cupcakes you like, alright?” Papyrus thought for a moment before nodding. He would do just about anything to taste something that delicious again. Standing quickly he rushed towards the loveseat. As promised the lady set the tray of cupcakes on the small dark coffee table. The boy took another one swiftly, only to present it to the woman expectantly. She couldn't help the wide smile crossing her face as she leaned in for a small bite of her own.

“How was that?” She asked playfully, clearly enjoying humouring the child. He nodded happily and proceeded to stuff his face with more sweets.

“What is your name?” The lady asked after he swallowed.

“Papyrus.” The skeleton responded more openly.

“Why that's an adorable name.” The woman cooed. “My name is Muffet. Though you shall address me as Miss Muffet.” Papyrus nodded his understanding. “Now Papyrus, you can't just nod yes to everything. Most people expect a verbal response.” The skeleton tilted his skull curiously, not entirely sure what she meant. “Instead of nodding you should say ‘yes Miss Muffet.’ Now you give it a try.” The boy started nodding again before correcting himself.

“Y-yes Miss Muffet.” He said quietly. She laughed while placing a hand on his skull, stroking it gently.

“It's been a long time since I've met a Collared as cute as you.” Muffet commented.

“... Collared?” Papyrus questioned while taking another cupcake.

“Yes, you are wearing a collar aren't you?” Muffet motioned to the purple band around his cervical vertebra though she withheld from touching it. “That means you belong to someone, and not just anyone.”

“... Sans?” He responded rather unsure.

“Yes, THE Captain of The Royal Guard himself.” Muffet giggled again. “Anyone would be a fool to try and take you.”

“B-but those monsters earlier-”

“Are now dead.” Muffet cut him off. “It's a good thing Lieutenant Alphys was around, though she's clearly not a fan of cold weather.”

“But… didn't you take me too?” Papyrus whispered. She seemed to catch it though, as she swiftly burst into uncontrollable giggles.

“Not quite sweetie.” Muffet purred. “I'm just guarding you until Captain Sans arrives.”

“Sans is coming?!” Papyrus nearly jumped to his feet in excitement. He knew Sans wasn't dead! His brother is the strongest.

“Yes, though I'm not sure when. The lieutenant didn't say much when she dropped you off yesterday.”

“Lieutenant?” The child question, still not processing that he had already been there so long.

“The big lizard monster that brought you here. Then again you were unconscious. I swear the nerve of that monster to injure a child!” Muffet looked like she wanted to continue before taking a deep breath. “But that's not important. What matters is that your better now, and will be safe so long as you stay here.”

“... yes Miss Muffet?” Papyrus questioned, unsure if he should respond to that statement or not. He spider woman just laughed, grabbing several round pasties from the spider that entered and refilling the tray.

“Eat up sweetie.” She cooed. “I can't let a child go hungry on my watch.” Papyrus began to reach for a round pastry, but the spider that brought them in suddenly flashed through his mind. Would Webby like these? They are amazing, and she's probably scared and alone or dead and it's all his fault… 

“Is something wrong Papyrus?” Muffet asked the tense child curiously.

“... w-where’s Webby?” Papyrus asked meekly.

“Webby who?” Muffet asked in return.

“S-she's my spider friend… a-and I can't find her anywhere.” Papyrus was on the verge of tears now. Did he really lose his first real friend forever? How could he be so stupid?! He tried to protect her. He really, really tried...

“Awww sweetie.” Muffet cooed wiping a tear from his socket. “Your friend is right here.” She opened up one of her hands to reveal the wolf spider sitting relaxed in her palm. 

“Webby!” Papyrus’ face lit up immediately, and he desperately reached out for her. Muffet held her out of reach.

“Not so fast now.” Muffet shook her head watching him judgingly. “She was in your socket when we got you, and nearly frozen.” Papyrus sniffled while wiping his tears.

“I-I know I'm a horrible friend. I'm s-sorry Webby…” the child clasped his hands and looked away, knowing full well he didn't deserve a friend like her.

“For goodness sake Papyrus.” Muffet allowed Webby to crawl on top of his skull. “She likes you, and you've done a great job with her.” Muffet giggled as the skeleton's face lit up immediately. “It's not often we find spider lovers down here. Even the toughest monsters think spiders are gross and scary.”

“Spider aren't scary.” Papyrus whispered while holding Webby near his chest.

“Is that so?” Muffet questioned while watching the child curiously. Papyrus nodded but refused to make eye contact. 

“Metal tables and tools and fish monsters are scary. Not spiders.” The child was now letting the wolf spider crawl between his fingers, no longer able to make eye contact. A moment of silence proceeded before Muffet burst into another giggle fit.

“Stars, you’re too much for me!” Muffet patted his head gently before standing to leave. “You can use the pen and papers on the desk if you'd like. I'll check and see how your new shirt is coming along.” She swiftly walked out door. Papyrus stared after her in confusion before looking down at his clothing, realizing for the first time that it wasn't his sweater at all. It was a purple baggy t-shirt, the collar hanging off one of his shoulders. There was also some scribbles on it the skeleton recognised as letters, though he had no clue what it said. He shrugged it off and continued playing with Webby.

She seemed very nice, and she hadn't hit him once! She even fed him, SAFE food for that matter. He always knew deep down spiders were good creatures, and if Webby trusted her then Papyrus would trust Muffet to!

\------------

The child laid on the floor trying to use a writing utensil. He had no idea how to hold a pen, so he gripped it with all four phalanges in a tight fist and made circles. He couldn't see what he was making too well under his forearm, but that was fine. He wanted to make presents for everyone and this was the only thing he could do. The child had already made a portrait of Miss Muffet, and was currently putting the finishing touches his next masterpiece. He was making the eyes when the door clicked open.

“Sweetie.” Muffet called to the child's delight. “Your master has finally come.” 

“SANS!” Papyrus stood swiftly, grabbing his drawings before nearly rushing out the door. He paused, scurrying back to the dresser and grabbing the wolf spider munching on a bug. “Sans!” He rushed out again, down the hallway and into the nearly empty parlour where his brother stood stiff. He jumped at his brother hugging him tightly, only to stop when a pained grunt came from the older monster. “Are you okay brother?” Sans roughly pushed the child off before regaining composure. He had dust and blood splatter all over his armour, as well as a long sleeve shirt underneath that Papyrus had never seen him wear before. His skull was also covered in scratches, including several very deep ones over his left socket. They looked painful, and would probably leave some nasty scars.

“How much do I owe you?” Sans asked gruffly, radiating a dangerous ora.

“Why don't we just say you owe me one.” Muffet giggled. “It's not everyday I get to look after such an adorable child.” Papyrus blushed furiously while playing with the hem of his new sweater. Muffet has made it out of spider silk, and it was super soft.

Sans huffed, taking a large bag of gold from his inventory. He roughly slammed the bag on the counter. “For guarding my pet and for his new sweater.” The skeleton growled while turning around.

“Papyrus, were leaving.” Sans stated while swiftly walking towards the door. 

“Wait!” Papyrus ran back to Muffet despite Sans’ protest. He presented one of the drawings he had worked on. “Thank you Miss Muffet.” The child whispered bashfully.

“.... What is it?” 

“It's you and me.” Papyrus explained. “The smaller one in me.” He pointed to the stick with uneven arms and legs. “And that one’s you.” He then gestured to the two circles with the five slit eyes and seven stick limbs. She brought a hand up to her mouth and giggled profusely before sticking the drawing in her inventory.

“Why thank you Papyrus. Now run along to your master.” Papyrus nodded and skipped back to an aggravated looking Sans. The elder didn't give him a chance to speak, instead hooking a leash around Papyrus’ collar. 

“NOW we're leaving!” Sans growled while pulling him towards the door. Papyrus began to nod before remember what Miss Muffet had taught him earlier. Sans would certainly be impressed!

“Yes Miss Muffet.” Papyrus answered. The Captain froze in his tracks, swiftly turning his head giving a death glare to the child. The proud smile Papyrus wore swiftly disappears, and he quickly tried to shy away unsure what he did wrong. Muffet and several of her other spiderlings had bursted out in hardy laughter, though what could possibly be so funny Papyrus wasn't sure.

“Oh sweetie!” Muffet breathed while wiping a tear from her eye. “Never change. You're too precious for this world.” Papyrus looked back at her curiously before he was nearly yanked off his feet. Sans had roughly pulled the leash as he power walked out the door, practically dragging the child behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus a beautiful friendship is born!
> 
> Technically I have enough material to make a part 3, but idk how many people are still reading at this point or even care. If you guys want this continues let me know. 
> 
> Also if anyone has any prompts you'd like to see regarding these two idiots leave a comment or message me on Tumblr. Link below:
> 
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/homestar1812
> 
> Leave a comment if ya feel like it. They always make my day.


	8. Stranger Danger: Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans is in lots of pain, and Papyrus tries his best to help. Sometimes his best doesn't equal good results...

The second they exited the parlour Papyrus’ sockets widened in horror. There was dust all over the place. So much more dust then there should be, and he could easily distinguish it from the snow. There was also a platform built near the town center, several monsters being impaled in blue attacks at odd angles on display. There were dust piles among them, and those still alive were desperately trying to stand still. He recognized one of the monsters. The brown rabbit that had tried to kidnap him, Coco, was standing near the center. Both her ears had been completely torn to shreds, looking more like sorry flaps of bloody skin the real ears. She looked desperate, fat tears flowing down her cheeks as she tried to control her sobs. Papyrus knew that look. He'd seen it far too many times back at The Lab. The look of a monster that knew there life was going to end, though they still hadn't accepted it yet. It was a sad look that Papyrus didn't care to see for too long.

He swiftly followed behind Sans near the end of his leash, too caught up in his surroundings to go any faster. Many of the homes and businesses had either been burned or the windows smashed in. The only establishment unaffected was Muffet’s, and there were currently several spider guards stationed around the building. The monsters on the street were sparse, except for several dozen monsters wearing similar armour to Sans, most of them walking around the town ready to attack or leading prisoners to the platform. The ones that weren't being rounded up seemed to be hiding away in their broken homes, if the occasional eye glints he saw from the buildings meant anything.

The child stumbled when Sans yanked him closer, swiftly picking up the pace as they passed the book place.

“S-sans, please slow-” The elder pulled his leash even harder making Papyrus gasp.

“Shut up and eyes down!” Sans snarled furiously. Papyrus did as told, though unsure why his brother had suddenly turned so mean. He hadn't seen his brother in five days. What could have happened to make the elder this angry? The little skeleton barely noticed as they approached the house. It had been reinforced in multiple areas, now sporting a metal door and frame along with twice the number of planks on all the holes that were once windows. A few guards were also standing near the house, though they were probably guarding the gate leading in and out of town. The child honestly didn't remember a huge wooden gate being so close to their home, but his memory was pretty bad after all.

Both fully armoured monsters saluted their captain as the skeletons approached. Sans made a motion with his hand back, which somehow made the guards turn around at ease. They neared the front door, Sans swifty taking a key from his inventory and unlocking the new deadbolt. He pushed Papyrus inside, hurriedly shoving the door closed before nearly collapsing on it.

“Sans?” Papyrus approached his brother anxiously. His eyelights had gone out and he wasn't breathing. Well, neither of them really needed to breath but the action was still comforting. Papyrus place a hand on Sans’ arm, which managed to get a snarl from the elder.

“Go to your room!” Sans shoved the child back before trying to stand upright again. 

“I just want to help…” Papyrus whispered while taking a step back. There was a brief pause before Sans laxed his fist.

“Do you know where the first aid kit is?” Sans asked softly.

“U-under the sink?” Papyrus questioned. 

“Bring it here.”

“O-okay!” Papyrus jogged up the stairs, mud and ripped carpet littering the floor as he went. He nearly entered the bathroom before remembering something important. “I'm sorry Webby!” Papyrus rushed to his disheveled bedroom and placed Webby on the floor. He didn't take the time to examined his destroyed room, far more important things on his mind. With his spider safe Papyrus entered the upstairs bathroom. The mirror had been smashed in but for the most part it was in decent condition. Hurriedly he fumbled with the poorly repaired cabinet door, finding the beaten metal lunchbox with all their medical supplies.

“I found it!” The child announced as he rushed back towards the staircase. He had to stop at the top, not expecting to see his brother climbing up. Sans was tackling the steps, trying to walk up the stairs before his leg nearly gave out midway. He had managed to remove his breastplate and boots, leaving them all in a messy pile by the door. Now Papyrus was positive something was really wrong. Sans never left things in piles, especially messy ones.

“Brother! Please don't.” Papyrus rushed to Sans’ side, attempting to help him walk but being too small and weak to offer much support.

“Get back welp.” Sans growled under his breath trying to push the younger away. He managed to make two more steps before his left leg completely gave out. Papyrus was hugging the first aid kit nervously. At this rate Sans would dust before getting a chance to use it. There had to be something he could do to help… like teleporting!

“Wait Sans!” Papyrus nuzzled himself under Sans’ free arm. “I can get us upstairs.” The elder huffed in response.

“Don't do it!” He growled trying to wrestle his hand free of Papyrus’ grip. It didn't work as the younger latched on tightly and tried to focus on Sans’ room. He wanted to be in Sans’ room. He needed to be in Sans’ room…

“Mutt! I told you-”

The two suddenly entered that familiar darkness, appearing seconds later in the light again but not on any ground. With a loud thud both monsters dropped several feet to the hard floor. Papyrus landed on his tailbone, squeezing his sockets shut at the sharp pain. Slowly he opened his eyes to see a familiar bed sitting by the wall.

“I-I did it?” Papyrus looked around completely stunned. That was the most accurate teleport he's ever made. At best he thought they would make it to the catwalk, but being in the spot he actually wanted to go was… exhilarating! “Sans! I did it!” Papyrus spun around to see his brother’s reaction, only to find the other clutching his leg and inhaling sharply. 

“Sans?” Papyrus’ metaphorical stomach dropped. Did he just kill Sans?! Hurriedly he scrambled to his brother's side, only to be shoved back by an aggressive hand. Sans’ eyelights were completely out and a fresh trail of marrow was leaking from his mouth. That didn't stop him from barely making it upright, standing heavily on his right leg, his shirt now soaking through with marrow at each wobbly limp. “A-are you okay brother?! I-” Sans cut the younger off with a grunt before shakily making his way to the bed. He gently sat down, prompting Papyrus to hand him the first aid kit. The child rushed clumsily over with the box, handing it over to his disturbingly silent older brother.

“Go to the kitchen and grab the bread loaf.” Sans commanded, though he sounded more winded and raspy than earlier. 

“O-okay.” Papyrus nodded nervously while moving towards the stairs. The last thing he saw was his brother unbuttoning the long sleeve shirt with one hand. Most monsters wouldn't have noticed, but Papyrus knew this was really bad. He has been using his right hand for almost everything since getting home, and that wasn't Sans’ bread buttering arm at all! 

Perhaps the food will help though? Yes! Sans needed assistance and Papyrus was determined to be a good little brother. He couldn't help but stop momentarily af the kitchen doorway though. The table was still intact, but only one chair appeared to be usable, and several cabinets were missing their doors. It wasn't the pristine kitchen Sans normally strived for, though it looked better then some other rooms in the house. He was able to spy his target at least. Papyrus could barely see the bit of plastic hanging off the top of the refrigerator. Sans could barely reach it on his own, so how was a short monster like Papyrus going to get it? This would be a bit troublesome, but he made a promise! Carefully the child grabbed the only standing chair and pulled it to the refrigerator door, climbing on top and trying to reach it. He was still too short by over six inches. Frustrated he stood on his tiptoes and stretched as far as possible, still unable to reach.

After several attempts at trying to leap for it and nearly falling, Papyrus took a step back and thought for a second. He knew he's not very good at thinking, that's why Sans is so smart and amazing by comparison. How could he possibly reach without help? Maybe he could hit it? Sans seems to hit things when he's mad, so maybe that will work here to. Slowly the child summoned a bone club and began reaching with it. Sure enough he could feel the bone hitting the soft loaf and pushing it sideways. Perfect! Carefully Papyrus tried nudging it sideways instead of back, eventually seeing it hanging off the side by several inches. With one final jab the loaf fell, hitting the counter and squishing a bit where it landed. Papyrus didn't care though. Bread was bread and he got it down on his own! Sans would be so impressed! Climbing down he grabbed the bread and rushed upstairs, not even bothering to fix the chair. He could do that when Sans wasn't dying.

“Sans!” Papyrus announced as he enter his brother’s bedroom. “I got the bread brother!” Sans didn't react, continuing to lay flat on his back on top of the sheets. Papyrus made his way closer, getting a look as the used peroxide and bloodied bandages laying in a heap on the dresser. “... S-Sans?” the younger stuttered. Sans had his sockets shut like he was sleeping, well more so squeezed shut in pain. The elder has rewrapped his rib cage and arm in fresh gauze. He had also cut his pant leg off near the groin, seaming to have set and splinted a badly fractured femur. The older skeleton finally gave a grunt of acknowledgement but didn't do much else.

Papyrus placed the bread loaf on the dresser, moving over to his brother's side. “B-brother? Your scaring me.” The elder didn't react this time. Shakily Papyrus tried touching his brother's splinted arm, but it felt off. His bones weren't room temperature like they normally were, instead being considerably warmer. 

That couldn't be good, but Papyrus had no clue what that meant. Was Sans sick or had he taken some poisons? He remembered at The Lab feeling hot and terrible after being forced to take Dr. Undyne’s concoctions. Sans must feel awful then! But now Papyrus was at a loss for what to do. Does he go to Muffet’s? But he's not supposed to leave the house at all, and he didn't trust his teleporting to take him that far. He'd have to think hard about this.

Let's see… when Papyrus feels bad Sans wraps him in a blanket first. That would probably be the best place to start. Rushing down the hallway the child slowly opened his bedroom door. Webby wasn't in the open anymore, giving Papyrus room to hurry. He made his way to the mattress, which had been flipped back and sloppily made at some point. Scrambling he grabbed the thickest blanket that served as his bedspread, bundling as much in his arms as possible and trying to pull the rest free. The bottom was tucked well under the mattress, and only showed small signs of budging. With a final tug the fabric released, sending the child tumbling backwards. He hit the wall before falling down, but that wasn't important. He freed the blanket! And now to return to Sans. Practically stumbling on the dragging fabric Papyrus ran down the hall and back into Sans’ room. His brother hadn't moved at all, nor had his conditions changed.

That's alright though. Now he just needs to cover Sans and he'll feel better! The little skeleton is just too short to tuck him in properly. This might be tough. Clumsily Papyrus tossed the blanket at Sans. It didn't go very far, but he got the bundle up on the bed at least. After carefully crawling around his unresponsive brother the young skeleton got the blanket in position. Perfect! That's step one complete.

Now, Sans also gives him tea and watches TV with him on the sofa until Papyrus feels better or falls asleep. Well he can't bring the TV upstairs, and he doesn't know where Sans keeps his teabags. Would water be enough? Sans said tea is just water with plant stuff in it. It should be fine with only half of that then. It's just tea without plant stuff!

“I'll be back brother!” Papyrus rushed out of the room and to the kitchen. Thankfully it was easier to crawl on the counters then it was to reach the bread. With the slightly foggy cup of water in hand, Papyrus slowly walked upstairs trying not to fall.

“Sans.” Papyrus carefully walked through the door attempting not to spill the glass. “I brought tea! You'll feel better now.” He placed the cup on the dresser, putting his hands on the side of the bed and watching Sans expectantly. 

…

…

Nothing happened. Sans just stayed still with his sockets closed. He wouldn't feel any better without drinking the tea. Sans needed to wake up!

“Brother?” Papyrus reached forward trying to tap Sans’ face. An ashes coloured powder stuck to his phalanges. It was dust, Sans’ dust.

“No!” Papyrus gasped and stepped back, stomach sinking to the floor and legs going numb. That couldn't be right. He had to be imagining the dust, or it belonged to another monster. Yes!Sans was already covered in dust earlier. He could easily have dust stuck to his skull. He couldn't be be dying. Sans couldn't die, he just couldn't…

…

“I-I'm sorry brother…” Papyrus began sobbing as all his efforts seemed to have failed. Sans was dusting. His brother would die and there was nothing left he could do. It was just like at The Lab. The subjects that didn't dust immediately did so slowly in their cells. It was horrible, and now he'd have to watch it all over again. Well, Sans always stayed with Papyrus until he felt better. That means the only thing to do now is stay with his brother till the end, then he'd join shortly after.

Sniffling the skeleton crawled onto the bed and placed his teddy bear by Sans face. He needed it more than Papyrus did right now, and soon their dust would both be on it. He also placed the drawing he made at Muffet's. It was supposed to be him and Sans holding hands, though his big brother would never get to see it now. Sluggishly he wiped his tears and crawled under the blanket. Nuzzling up to his brother's side Papyrus held closely. He didn't want Sans to die. He didn't want to lose the only monster to call him family. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. Sans is the strongest monster ever! Nothing could have hurt him right? So why was he dusting now? He just wanted Sans to get better. 

“Please Sans- *Hic*... p-please get better.”

\------------

With a groan Sans forced his sockets open. He felt like absolute shit. The corner lamp was on and burning holes in his sockets. It was way too bright to handle. At least he knew for sure he was home in bed, whenever that happened. Stars he couldn't remember the last time he's felt this weak. How long has he slept for anyway? Those stupid looters busted his alarm clock, then again he doubted he would have woken to it anyway. Something was tickling the right side of his face too. Annoyed Sans glanced over to see a familiar teddy bear propped against his pillow. The same bear he had given Papyrus, but why was it on his bed?

He glanced down to see Papyrus’ bedspread sloppily covering him, plus an odd lump on his left side. Stiffly he lifted the blanket, only to see a small sleeping skeleton gripping his ribcage. The younger was sleeping soundly and pulsing… green magic? Sans peered closer lifting the bedspread higher. Sure enough very weak waves of green magic were pulsing from Papyrus’ soul, and the ribs closest to the younger skeleton were almost completely heal.

Stunned Sans let his head fall back against the pillow. How the hell is Papyrus able to use healing magic?! It's such a rare thing even in uncorrupted monsters. Most monsters would be rushing to kidnap and sell such a valuable monster. Otherwise they would be directly sent to the queen's service or tested upon by scientist. How was this not discovered by Undyne or Gerson? Then again they would have never let him go had they known, so he supposed it was a good thing at least.

He let out a long sigh. It would be fine, Papyrus would lose that healing ability once his soul corrupted… If he survives his soul getting corrupted… Stars this was too much to think about.

“Hey, Pap.” Sans shook the small skeleton with his… now healed arm… huh.

“Puppy.” He prompted again. The young skeleton yawned loudly and snuggled closer with a small groan. He stopped radiating healing magic though, so he's not completely out. That also means it isn't voluntary controlled thing he's performing, so that could also be troublesome.

Welp, that left only one option. Sans reached over and grabbed the bread loaf, loudly untying the plastic wrap. That seemed to do the trick. Papyrus’ body perked up immediately at the crinkling noise, poking his head out like a small turtle. He squinted upwards, only for his sockets to widen at seeing his big brother awake.

“Sans!” The younger lept from the covers and grabbed Sans in a tight hug. Too tight, the right side still hurt!

“Calm down Puppy.” Sans push him off trying to get a breath in. “How long was I asleep?”

“A while…” Papyrus twiddled his fingers and looked away. “You slept all night, and we missed breakfast and dinner.” Sans’ sockets widened but he inhaled deeply before panicking. This would be a pain explaining too The Guard. Hopefully Alphys kept thing running well enough that his absence wasn't too noticeable. Besides, the kid seemed scared enough already. 

“You must be hungry then.” Papyrus perked up and nodded his head eagerly. The elder removed three pieces of bread from the packet, giving two to Papyrus and keeping one for himself. The child ate them greedily, but Sans wouldn't bother correcting his manners. He's already starved enough already, and had the willpower not to touch the bread without permission. That was impressive enough to let him chow down, even if he dropped crumbs everywhere. 

Sans finally bit down on his own slice, the sour magic radiating through his body and restoring a small amount of HP. Stars he knew he was in bad shape but not THAT bad. Then again that's what he gets for forcing himself to work on a broken leg and shattered rib cage for three days. Regardless that's the last time he would take on a trio of Night Nights with such weaklings for backup. That stupid rebellion wiped out half The Guard, and that’s not counting the ones that turned traitor. The monarchy was still in power for now, but at this rate who knew how long that would last. He'd have to see about getting more rations to the people of Snowdin. That would keep them happy until the Royal forces recovered anyway-

“Sans?” Papyrus asked breaking the elder from his thoughts. The child startled a bit but continued. “Your not gonna die… right?” Sans couldn't help the small grin crossing his fangs.

“No Papyrus, I'm not going to dust yet.” He responded while patting the younger’s skull. Papyrus nodded but looked off worriedly. “What's wrong?” Sans asked in return. Papyrus took a moment before responding.

“I… thought you wouldn't make it…” Sans sighed but puffed his chest out confidently.

“I'm the strongest monster in The Underground! It will take a lot more than some minor injuries to kill me.” Papyrus nodded but didn't look convinced. “I may have had a little help from a small skeleton too.” He looked up at him wide eyed, not expecting a compliment. The child’s postured laxed immediately, and he seemed to come to some sort of conclusion.

“Sans… could I… j-join The Guard?” There was another moment of silence as Sans processed the request. That certainly wasn't what he had expected, especially after the way father treated him during training all those years back.

“Your not strong enough for that Papyrus. Why would you want to join anyway?” The other took a couple minutes before responding this time.

“Cuz I… I want to help you.” Papyrus said with finality. The kid actually looked pretty determined about this. He was too weak and fragile for the guard though. Even if he trained like mad and got bigger the damage from the cruel experimentation and malnutrition would be permanent. That's not even touching on his status as a collared, which was its own obstacle entirely. Then again Papyrus is capable of teleporting, and even healing magic at the moment. Perhaps he could prove useful despite his shortcomings.

“I won't let you join The Guard.” Sans said to Papyrus’ disappointment. “However, if you train very hard perhaps you could be a personal assistant. Does that sound fair?” Papyrus thought it over for a moment before nodding. 

“Okay Sans! I promise to work super hard.” Sans chuckled under his breath at that response. He'd see if that eagerness lasted once training started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey last part of this three parter! Stupid end I'm not completely happy with, but I suppose it worked out. 
> 
> I'm open to request/prompts regarding these two. I don't think I've ever seen anything remotely close to babybone fics with this AU so if you have any request feel free to leave a comment or message me on my Tumblr.
> 
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/homestar1812
> 
> Or just leave a general comment. I love all comments.


	9. Trial Period: Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus has been training hard for several month, improving far more then Sans expected. The older skeleton decides the younger is ready for his first major trial.

“Strike!”

Papyrus summoned two bones above his head, attempting to whirl them at the dummy. They struck their target, splaying some stuffing from the worn seams. Sans began summoning purple bones around the child’s feet, gradually moving the wave closer.

“Prepare to dodge.” The eldest ordered. Papyrus panted but stood ready, he managed to jump over the first three bones, but was taken off guard by the fourth ones odd projectory. It hit his thigh and knocked him hard on his pelvis. “Be aware of all attacks, not just the ones directly in front of you.” Papyrus nodded at Sans’ advise, shakily standing up again to face his dummy opponent.

“Counter now!” Sans shouted. Papyrus grunted at the fresh effort of pooling his magic, only to fling a single bone that fell apart mid way. Sans took a few more notes before looking at his brother with a raised brow bone. “We’re done for today.” The child panted heavily with relief.

“Did *wheeze* I-I do good?” Papyrus breathed about ready to keel over. He was barely standing, lightheadedness having long taken hold and leaving him a gasping sweaty mess.

“You did adequate.” Sans huffed jotting down a few notes. “You lasted six minutes longer than yesterday.” With those words the boys vision nearly gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.

“Can I-I *pant* rest now?” Papyrus wheezed.

“Yes, I say you've earned it.” Sans stated jotting down the last few comments he had. The child was certainly improving, and far faster than Sans had initially expected. It will be nice once he perfects his teleporting. That will open far more tactical options. Perhaps he'll be able to summon blasters even, but that was getting ahead of himself.

“Alright Papyrus, let's head up… stairs.” Sans sighed the last bit rubbing his temple in exasperation. The child had fallen asleep where he collapsed, pelvis in the air and face planted on the floor. Sans swore if the sight wasn't so endearing he'd have spanked the kid for letting his guard down like that. Thoughtfully the elder glanced around the basement. No one else in sight and Papyrus was dead to the world. Quietly he pulled out his camera phone, snapping a quick picture before straightening up and putting the clipboard away. He'd have to print that later, but for now he had paperwork to complete. 

Carefully he lifted Papyrus off the floor and cradled the sleeping skeleton. He swore the kid slept like the dead, which they technically were but that's besides the point. Did the child have some sort of sleeping disorder like narcolepsy? Or was he just very low energy? Sans’ bets were on the latter, easily seeing the kid growing up to be a lazy layabout. Sans wouldn't let that happen in a million years though, so Papyrus would just have to adapt. Quietly he carried the child to his bedroom, placing him under the covers of his mattress and shutting the light off.

That was a good chunk of his evening gone. Tomorrow would be a special day for both of them, and Papyrus would need as much sleep as he could get. Now Sans had precisely seven hours to finish up three hours worth of paperwork and get a decent amount of sleep. Thankfully he didn't need much of it.

\------------

It was five thirty in the morning when he woke Papyrus for breakfast. Sans had a hard time sleeping, too anxious thinking on how today was going to go. This could either be a good thing for both skeletons, or turn into a complete disaster. Hopefully he wasn't rushing this, but Papyrus had improved so much so quickly. Far faster than Sans had ever expected. The child should be able to handle himself now, or at the very least hide if things go south. The light sounds of feet shuffling against carpet announced the others arrival. Sans took a deep breath to steady himself. There was no going back now.

“Good morning Papyrus.” Sans stated while smoothing jam over the child’s rations.

“Hello Brother.” Papyrus yawned groggily and stopped at the door frame. As usual The child waited until the food was finished and the table set. He sat down tiredly, waiting for Sans to take the first bite before digging in himself. They ate in silence, Papyrus too focussed on his food while Sans tried to determine what he would say. It wasn't until the dishes were finished did Sans decide on his approach. He pulled up a well wrapped package from his inventory, setting it on the table and summoning a bone knife.

“I have something to give you.” Sans stated while opening the package.

“Is it cupcakes?” Papyrus bounded closer mouth watering in anticipation. 

“Not quite.” Sans said with a small grin. He pulled the dark amber item from its paper binding, testing the fabric and other stat improvements it provided. 

“Is that a coat?” Papyrus asked coming around Sans’ other side eyeing it in wonder. It was puffy, far thicker than the lab coats Dr. Undyne would wear. It had a lighter orange coloured stripe across the midsection much like his sweater did. The best part though was the hood, deep and surrounded in a white fur trim.

“Indeed.” Sans responded while handing the bundle to Papyrus. “Now put it on.” The young skeleton struggled momentarily with the thick fabric, but finally managed to fit one arm up a sleeve, followed by the other. He adjusted it to cover his shoulders, noting the sleeves were several inches past its fingertips. 

“Like this?” Papyrus questioned. He wasn't sure if he was doing it right, but a small grin from Sans quelled his fears. The older skeleton took a knee, rolling his sleeves up to reach his palms instead.

“Yes, just like that.” Sans zipped it up next, standing back and spinning the child around. “It's big on you, but that leaves plenty of room for growth.”

“Growth?” The younger tilted his head in confusion.

“Well you've certainly gotten taller already, by two inches at least.” Sans replied while fastening a pin with the delta ruin to his jacket and tying a matching band around his arm.

“What's that for?”

“For today's outing of course.” The child looked to his brother with wide sockets. He had been training super hard for several months now, and didn't expect Sans to use him anytime soon. “We’ll be meeting with Alphys in Waterfall. You'll recognize her when we get there.” He gave the child a moment to ponder that statement before pulling out something else. A thick brown leather band, half of it coated in silver studs. The boy eyed it wondrously while his brother's socket flaired to life with purple magic. Waving his hand over the band the thing sparked with bright light as the name ‘Sans’ was carved into the leather and a powerful ward finished. Carefully he unlatched the small bell collar from Papyrus’ throat, using both hands to buckle the new collar in place.

“You will stay at my side at all times, and do exactly as I say without question. Punishment for disobedience will be swift and harsh. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes brother-” Papyrus tried to finish but was abruptly cut off.

“That will not do.” The elder said sternly. “From now on you will only refer to me as ‘Master.’ Understood?”

“Yes bro- I mean Master.” Papyrus corrected. Sans nodded his approval, heading up the stairs to his own room.

“I have some paperwork to gather before our leave. I expect you to be ready to go in fifteen minutes, alright?”

“Yes Master!” Papyrus nodded eagerly. The small grin that flashed across Sans’ fangs made the child giggle with delight. This was the second best day of his life! Sans said he needed his help, and Papyrus would do whatever he could to give it! But he should get ready for the day first. Sans always says image is important, even if the younger didn't agree. He needed to finish getting dressed, put his shoes on, and tell Webby everything! She would be so happy to hear about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What?
> 
> This fic actually updated?
> 
> I'm surprised I managed to finish this one honestly. Hopefully I'll get to part two... eventually.
> 
> Leave a comment if you'd like more! They really make my day.


End file.
